Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about the challenge that climate change presents for Australia and the government's lamentable lack of real action. Labor and I and my electorate understand that Australia must contribute to the long-term objective of keeping global average temperature increase to less than two degrees. World-renowned authorities such as the Monash Sustainability Institute at Monash University, located in my electorate of Chisholm, state that we must begin to reduce emissions now to enable a smooth transition to a low-carbon Australia. Any delay means Australia faces a greater disruption and more cost. I have a well-educated electorate that understands this. I am contacted daily about the urgent need to act, and to act now. Indeed, many fear that we have left it too late.

Faced with this challenge, this government instead has taken us backwards on climate change. It has repealed the price on carbon, the ETS, in favour of a tax-funded dressed-up slush fund that everyone knows just does not work. We had the so-called Minister for the Environment every day talking about the previous great big tax they have got rid of on carbon. What he is really talking about is electricity prices, and I have not been inundated by constituents excited that their electricity bills have come down. Indeed, I actually have not had one person contact me since the repeal of the ETS that has found that their electricity price has actually decreased.

Instead of seeing any action, the government's first action, its Emission Reduction Fund, brought only 10 million tonnes of additional abatement for $66 a tonne. That is $660 million of taxpayers' money for a measly 10 million tonnes less carbon pollution. Leading analyst RepuTex has shown that no companies will be forced to cut their emissions under the government's pathetic Direct Action policy. Companies can adjust their baseline as they see fit, and Direct Action will do nothing to reduce Australians' carbon emissions. Indeed, we have seen nothing to date—regardless, again, of the government and the so-called Minister for the Environment crowing that we have seen reductions. We have not. Indeed, we did see reductions under the previous Labor government under an ETS model, a model that has been praised by world leaders and a model that many are saying should be taken by all countries into the Paris talks. RepuTex has found that Australia's biggest polluters will increase their pollution levels by 20 per cent over the next 15 years without exceeding the baseline set by the government's safeguard mechanisms.

Regrettably, it does not end there. The government is also holding an inquiry into the deductible gift recipient status of more than 600 environmental groups that currently qualify for that status. This is a transparent bid to nobble advocates who disagree with them on major environmental issues, particularly groups who believe in strong action on climate change. This is a disgrace. I have been written to by many in my electorate, not people who are actually involved in these groups but people who find that it is obscene that a government can nobble free speech.

This government has also made Australia a laughing-stock on the world stage by winning an unprecedented five fossil fuel awards at the climate change talks in Warsaw. Today I note from an article by Phil Hudson in The Australian that the first measure by Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister appears to be that he is going to stop 100 per cent recycled paper for government departments. If the government cannot lead by example on such things as recycled paper, what hope have we got? This is what the Prime Minister is going to take with him to crucial climate change talks in Paris.

As he has proved the case in so many ways, the Prime Minister may have changed, but the policy direction remains the same. We have seen a thaw in the Australian rhetoric on the issue of climate change with the new Prime Minister. That had boosted the hopes in the international areas that, going into the Paris talks in the international climate change community, the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, would bring Australia back to the centre of this issue and provide the kind of leadership that is needed to produce action on climate change and that Australia enjoyed under the Labor government. Sadly, it is just rhetoric and no action. On so many fronts on the issue of climate change the current government remains an international embarrassment.

In complete contrast, Labor knows renewable energy is Australia's future. That is why Australia's ambitious goal is to have 50 per cent of Australia's electricity generated from renewable sources by 2030. Many of us as individuals have signed up to green energy on our home bills because we know that that is the way of the future. This means more solar panels on homes and businesses. This will mean more wind farms being built with investor confidence about investing in wind power. This will mean huge advances in battery storage of renewable energy, seeing battery technology develop to the point where electricity from solar panels can be stored in our homes and small businesses. Critically, it will mean thousands of jobs for Australia and lower power bills for hardworking families and small businesses. Over $2.5 trillion is expected to be invested in renewables in the Asia-Pacific region in 2030. It is vital for the Australian economy to make sure that investment is made here.

Under Labor's plans, transitioning to renewable energy will reduce pollution and decarbonise our economy, but not at the cost of jobs within the coal sector. It is not an either-or; it is about a transition. It is about realising that the world in the future needs to be decarbonised. I just returned recently from Europe, where I was stunned to see home upon home upon home throughout Berlin, throughout Athens and throughout London with solar panels on the roofs and with solar hot water. We are not leading in this regard. We are actually going backwards. Every major economy is transitioning to renewable energy. Last year investment in renewables around the world grew by 16 per cent, whereas renewable energy investment dropped by 88 per cent in Australia—another indictment of this government. That is a direct result of this government's action.

When in government, Labor made significant investments in renewable energy. Jobs in the industry tripled, and Australia rose to be one of the four most active destinations of global renewable energy investment. In setting a strong commitment for renewables to 2030, we will provide more certainty for the industry. Under Labor, Australia was in the top four countries to make renewable energy investment in. We want to make that happen again—instead, we are going backwards—and we will do so by looking after the workers and communities affected by the modernisation of our electricity-generating system, working with industries, communities and unions. It is not about an either-or. It is about transitioning and taking communities with us.

Under the leadership of President Obama and President Xi Jinping, the leaders of the two largest emitters and the two largest economies, the US and China, it is clear that these two nations are committed to reaching in Paris an ambitious agreement to reduce global carbon emissions. Indeed, in both countries we have actually seen emissions reductions. In contrast, as the world prepares for the international climate talks in Paris at the end of the month, the Turnbull Liberal government is doing all the things you do when you are really doing nothing. Julie Bishop has confirmed that there is nothing new on the table for this vital Paris meeting: no strengthening of the emission targets, no additional contribution to the Green Climate Fund—just the same Tony Abbott plan. The Liberal Party may have a new leader but there is no change in the direction they are taking this country in.

Labor is the only major party with a sensible and effective climate policy, with renewable energy as the centrepiece of its policy—understanding that we need to transition, understanding that we need to take communities with us, to decarbonise for our future. I have said many times in this place—and sadly it is going to be true—we will be the first generation to leave the next generation worse off. I will be part of the first generation to leave its children's generation worse off. That is so in many areas, but most particularly in an environmental sense. If we do not have a strong environment, we cannot have a strong economy.

I want to urge people to show their support for action on climate change by attending a rally this Friday at the State Library of Victoria. There are rallies over this weekend across the board. They are not political; it is the community saying, 'We need to have action on climate change.' I will be there leading the Labor team at the State Library this Friday at 5.30. I want everyone to come on down. I want everyone to show their support for the future. If we do not take action, there will be no hope for future generations. If we cannot set an example for the next generation, what do we have to hold up as leaders in this place?