Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is it correct that today's updated greenhouse gas data confirms that, after dropping by eight per cent during the last Labor government, Australia's carbon pollution levels are projected to increase under his government's Direct Action policy between now and 2020?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

By chance, I just happen to have with me Labor's last update, their 2012 projections.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Answer the question!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will cease interjecting.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you know what Labor's last update of Australia's emissions said, under their watch, under a carbon tax?

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham is warned!

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

The member for Hotham has just been warned.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under their watch they predicted that Australia's emissions would grow, between 2012 and 2020, to 637 million tonnes. Let me repeat that: they predicted that our domestic emissions would grow. So how are they going to close the gap? Not by reducing domestic emissions, but with over 105 million tonnes of international abatement. So, on the very question they ask about, their solution was not to decrease emissions in Australia—

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McEwen is warned!

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but to go overseas in order to reduce their emissions. What we have seen today is that we are meeting and beating our emissions reductions.

Mr Conroy interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Charlton has been warned.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are meeting and beating our emissions reductions in Australia on our watch, in our time, on budget, without driving up electricity prices. So, at the moment, we have in front of us a target that, on their last explanation, went to 637 million tonnes of domestic emissions. More than that, it was a 13 per cent increase over the course of the time. Under us, we have seen a dramatic drop, and each successive update in accounting has seen that drop.

Let us go to something else: what is the ALP's target, because they like to talk a lot about targets? In a very painful press conference today, we saw the shadow minister unable to announce a target and unable to articulate their position. What we are doing is achieving our targets. More than that, we are delivering a system which is bringing benefits to landowners. We are seeing that two-thirds of the emissions reductions, which are occurring in Australia, are going to domestic abatement. In terms of the land sector: deforestation, reafforestation—

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr Speaker: that of direct relevance. We are asking the government to admit why levels of carbon pollution are increasing under the Liberals.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me go to the question of direct relevance. To their own predictions of a domestic level of over 630 million tonnes, it is clear and absolute that we are doing the job that they did not do—emissions are coming down and we will achieve our targets. We will not just achieve the minus 13 per cent, we will achieve a minus 26 to minus 28 per cent outcome.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table the government's numbers, which show that they will not deliver any improvement to climate change.

Leave not granted.