Senator Susan McDonald makes a extremely valid point here.
The Australian Federal Government has a robust process in place with subject matter experts that make recommendations to politicians as decision makers. These subject matter experts like NOPTA and NOPSEMA are world class leaders, Australia has previously held the title for largest LNG exporter worldwide with minimal health, safety and environmental issues.
The fact that politicians are now creating legislation to circumnavigate the system and to create laws to overide these subject matter experts is absolutely crazy and its putting Australia at risk via sovereign risk and investment risk.
Ed Husic was delegated the PEP11 decision maker in 2023 and also had this to say on PEP11 via ABC Radio National Breakfast 22 August 2022 Interviewer Patricia Karvelas.
PATRICIA KARVELAS: Former Deputy Prime Minister, that you just mentioned, Barnaby Joyce, told David Speers yesterday he didn’t know most of Morrison’s secret portfolio arrangements, but he didn’t challenge the former Prime Minister over the decision around PEP 11 because he feared the Nationals would lose a ministry and the additional staff that comes with it that he’d manage to secure as he describes it. What did you make of that? Should this be part of an inquiry, too, the sort of horse-trading if you like on ministerial positions, staff, all of it?
ED HUSIC: Well, high level – trying to follow that interview with Barnaby Joyce yesterday was like trying to plot the course of static. I just, there was so much in there. But I will make the point that on that last issue around portfolios, it reinforces my earlier point, that you should be doing your job based on what’s in the national interest or what you feel is the right thing to do rather than going, “Well, if I make that call, I’m going to lose my positions.” And this is again a reinforcement that either in government or in opposition, this is the mentality that runs through the Liberal and National Parties about the way that they get their job done, and I don’t think it’s right and I don’t think people expect it to be done that way.
Ends....
Recap - Ed Husic said "But I will make the point that on that last issue around portfolios, it reinforces my earlier point, that you should be doing your job based on what’s in the national interest or what you feel is the right thing to do rather than going, “Well, if I make that call, I’m going to lose my positions.”
So whats that mean for the Current Minister for Industry Ed Husic.
He is obligated to do his job without bias or prejudice with the national interest at front of mind.
https://www.minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/husic/transcripts/interview-abc-radio-national-breakfast
(20min delay)