Planning minister Anthony Roberts lugged a large lump of coal into question time and placed it on the dispatch box while answering a question about the bill that aims to ensure coal supplies to the nearby Mount Piper power plant are not disrupted.
"This amazing piece of black rock keeps you cool in summer,warm in winter,it produces power to power electric motor vehicles,"Mr Roberts said,echoing theatrics by the Turnbull government in February.
"Indeed,it lights our schools,it lights our police stations. In fact,every minute of every day it's saving people's lives in hospitals,"he said before recommending the fossil fuel for those seeking companionship.
The bill,though,was described as"reprehensible"by 4Nature,the group that had successfully challenged the 2015 approval of the Springvale mine extension in the Court of Appeal.
"Not only does the bill end the final stage of the court process for the Springvale mine but for all developments in the drinking water catchment,it overrides the important principle of continuous improvement for polluters,"Andrew Cox,president of 4Nature said."Whoever gets in first can keep polluting."