Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The world's response to climate change—and that will be the subject of the summit that is being held in Glasgow in a few weeks time—will be seeking to bring people together on this issue, and the response being made around the world to climate change will have a significant impact on Australia. It will have a significant impact, particularly on rural and regional Australia, and I think it would be unfair for this place to send those Australians anything other than a message that we understand that. We understand that people in rural and regional Australia will face some real challenges to their economic futures because of what is happening around the world and the changes in the global economy.

The Liberals and the Nationals understand that, and we think it's important that we don't engage in any sort of pejorative way in a discussion with those who have a different view or different views to ours. I don't think that's very helpful in what we're trying to achieve here. I think Australians want to embrace the changes that are occurring, but I also think they want to ensure that all Australians can go ahead together, in rural and areas, and that we have a clear and considered plan for how that is going to be achieved so that we can mitigate the negative impacts of what is going to occur and also realise the opportunities that can be there for all Australians, particularly in rural and regional areas.

That is what the government is working through, and the government will make a decision about the position that it will take to COP26. The date hasn't changed. It's been the same date all year. We've been working towards that date over the course of the year. So, when I attend that summit I will take the government's position, and the government's position will be determined like all government positions are, and that is by federal cabinet. That was the approach taken in the past when it came to these matters and the commitments that Australia has made on these issues: on Kyoto 1, we meet and we beat; on Kyoto 2, we met and we beat it; and on Paris, we will meet and beat the commitments we have made. There is no mystery at all on this side of the House as to what our 2030 target is. It's what we took to the last election. It was endorsed by the Australian people. We've been implementing those policies, and we've seen a reduction of 20 per cent, and more, in carbon emissions since 2005. We have one of the highest rates, if not the highest rate, of rooftop solar in the world. We have seen record levels of investment in renewable technologies here in Australia, and we propose that there be more. Those opposite have not set out their 2030 target. They have repealed, they say, the target they took to the last election— (Time expired)

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