David:

In response to Senator Higgins's question on mining, the batteries electric vehicles use require much mining for lithium. Lithium is expensive to mine and is only in certain areas of the world. Those areas can also be where some of the world's most endangered species are. If we were to use lithium batteries for electric vehicles, there would have to be a way to ensure animals living around the mines have somewhere else to live. Sometimes where the mines are could be one of the last places these animals are going to be. Mining is essential because certain materials can only be got through mining. There has to be a way for animals which live near where mines are or will be to have somewhere else to live. If they lose part of their habitat, as long as they have a large or substantial amount of habitat left, they will not go extinct. It is a problem with the mines and we could work harder to make mines more friendly and not use certain materials to clean out minerals. People used to use cyanide or something to clean out gold. That will poison people as well as animals if it gets into water systems or anywhere. Mining is one of the key things because many countries' main economy is mining. They need to work harder as well to make sure mining is sustainable and that people are recycling materials that have been mined so we do not have to mine more because somebody threw it into the wrong bin, buried it or left it somewhere.

I will finish with a question. We learned in geography about the 100 sq. km zone in the south east for fish and animal conservation. How is that policed to make sure no one is fishing there more than they should be?