House debates Questions without Notice
Climate Change
Luke Hartsuyker Cowper, National Party
2:42 pm
My question is also addressed to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Can the minister inform the House what would be the impact if Australia decides to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by the year 2050?
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
The Labor Party’s key climate change policy is a 60 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 2000 levels by 2050. The Labor Party will not say, does not know or does not care to know what the economic and social impact of that cut will be. The member for Kingsford Smith becomes irritated when he is asked about what the cost will be and says that he does not know what ‘paying more’ means.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. The question asked about a 50 per cent reduction by 2050—
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat! The minister is entirely in order. I call the minister.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
The Leader of the Opposition, when asked whether jobs would be lost as a result of his climate change policy, said, ‘Not necessarily.’ That is hardly a ringing reassurance for Australian workers. In 2006 the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics modelled a 50 per cent cut in 1990 level emissions by 2050, which is a much less drastic reduction than that proposed by the Australian Labor Party. ABARE forecast that this cut would result in a 10.7 per cent fall in GDP, a 20.8 per cent fall in real wages, a 75 per cent fall in aluminium production and—this will be of particular concern to the member for Cowper—a 44 per cent reduction in agricultural production. ABARE concluded that the key elements in greenhouse response are global—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The level of interjections is far too high. The minister has the call.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
ABARE concluded that the key elements in greenhouse response are global action and having available the full range of technologies, including clean coal, renewables and nuclear power. ABARE said that unilateral action offered no perceptible benefits for the rest of the world either economically or environmentally because it would make no difference, as we all know, to the overall level of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
What if everyone says that?
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
Labor’s unilateral climate change policy is bad for jobs. It is bad for business. It is bad for the economy—
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
and it will not even help the environment. The government’s climate change policy is committed and is delivering real reductions in the growth of greenhouse gas emissions—
Kelvin Thomson Wills, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Kelvin Thomson interjecting
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
investing in the technologies that will make it possible for the world, particularly developing countries, to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining economic growth, and above all having an open mind with every technology and every practical measure on the table as we manage Australia’s climate change response in the national interest.