Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Wong. Can the minister advise the Senate on any recent decisions made by the government on plans for reducing Australia’s contribution to climate change? In particular, can the minister advise the Senate on what plans the government has in respect of agriculture and what stakeholders’ reactions have been to the government’s plans?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to rise to talk about the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the government’s decision to agree to exclude agriculture emissions from coverage under the CPRS indefinitely.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tell us the rest!

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why didn’t you do it in the first place?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The interjections from the other side are interesting. This is what the opposition asked for, and the government has indicated in good faith a willingness to exclude agriculture indefinitely.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we have said—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, resume your seat. I need to hear the answer—on both sides. Order!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that the President of the National Farmers Federation, Mr David Crombie, has said today that the NFF was very encouraged: ‘This is a victory for common sense. Credit needs to go to the government for this announcement and to the coalition for their support on this issue.’

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So the government is absolutely committed to negotiating with those opposite in good faith to try and get this bill through the parliament despite the fact—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on both sides! Time for debating this issue is post question time.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I find it interesting, if I may say, that we actually accede to an opposition demand but they are still complaining. But that is the way it goes, I suppose. We know that there are some on the other side who do not wish to take action on climate change and will do whatever they can to avoid it. I hope more sensible heads prevail.

I also indicate that the government is providing a number of other measures to assist farmers with the introduction of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. For example, agricultural producers will receive the cent-for-cent reduction in fuel excise which was announced by the Prime Minister in December of last year. The government has already announced that farmers and other landholders will be eligible to generate offsets from planting trees to sequester carbon and that would be available from commencement of the scheme. The government has allocated $46.2 million to a climate change research— (Time expired)

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I thank the minister for her response and have a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate on any other reactions to the government’s announcement to exclude agriculture from the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme? What is the minister’s response?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There has been a range of responses. I have referred to the response of the NFF. But, of course, what we had from Senator Joyce is the usual knee-jerk response that Senator Joyce engages in whenever the issue of climate change is being discussed. Mr President, through you, I would like to advise the Senate of the incorrect factual information that is being utilised by some senators in the National Party, particularly Senator Joyce. For example, Senator Joyce likes to claim that the CPRS will mean that a roast will cost $100. He said that publicly—another bit of scaremongering from the National Party. I would like to remind the Senator that—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, I said it would cost more than $100.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. Continue your answer, Minister.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That just demonstrates the irresponsibility of the National Party.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, address your comments to the chair.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Through you, Mr President, that demonstrates the irresponsibility of the National Party. ABARE estimates are that there would be the following increases in the price of a leg of lamb: less than 4c a kilo in 2011 up to 18c a kilo in 2015. (Time expired)

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question for the minister. How committed is the Rudd government to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme? How does the exclusion of agriculture demonstrate that commitment?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I will call the minister when there is order. Time for debate on this issue is post question time.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are absolutely committed to action on climate change. We are absolutely committed because it is in Australia’s national interest to act, and I would invite the National Party to consider some of the science on this. The fact that, for example, the CSIRO in a recent publication suggested that in the worst-case climate change scenario Australia could—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! If you want to debate the issue on my left, do so at the end. Constant interjection is disorderly and you are aware of that.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under the worst-case climate change scenario Australia could be a net importer of wheat by 2015. On top of that—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Joyce is on his feet.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. Is this the same science that Mr Garrett used when he said that sea levels would rise by six metres by the end of the year?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce, you are arguing the issue. You are not taking a point of order. Order!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That warning comes on top of the warnings, for example, that Professor Garnaut made in his review which pointed out that we could see irrigated agricultural production in the Murray-Darling Basin decline by in excess of 90 per cent. So through you, Mr President, Senator Joyce can come in here and bluster all he likes, but the reality is that he is not representing— (Time expired)