House debates

Tuesday, 23 July 2019

Questions without Notice

Climate Change

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. Are Australia's annual carbon emissions higher or lower today than they were when the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government took office?

2:00 pm

Photo of Angus TaylorAngus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. I'd like to inform the House that Australia is currently in its 28th year of economic growth, and emissions per capita and emissions intensity of the economy are the lowest in 29 years.

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Can the minister just pause for a second; he doesn't need to resume his seat. It won't take that long. I'm just going to say to members on both sides: members expect me to be listening to the answer. It's a bit hard when they're bellowing already. As I've said before, it's like reading yesterday's Hansard every day. The member for Moreton is warned.

Photo of Angus TaylorAngus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | | Hansard source

As I was saying, we have the lowest level of emissions per capita in 29 years and the lowest level of emissions intensity in 29 years. Our electricity sector emissions are down 6.5 million tonnes on the year to December 2018, and we've seen during that year the highest level of renewable investment in the world, double the next country in the world, and we are on target to exceed our Kyoto obligations for 2020 by 367 million tonnes.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes, indeed. It was a very specific question. It goes to annual carbon emissions. Are they higher—that's up—or lower—that's down—under your government?

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

Mr Albanese interjecting

Mr Morrison interjecting

The Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister will cease interjecting.

An honourable member interjecting

No, you're not thanking me for anything. I haven't called you. I'm just going to say to the Leader of the Opposition: you've made your point of order. I'm going to say to the Leader of the Opposition: I'm obviously listening very carefully, and the minister is still on the topic of the question. He may not be answering it in the way the Leader of the Opposition wants, but you cannot demand that the minister give certain figures that are being asked for. But I'm going to keep listening to the minister and obviously point out to him he needs to be relevant to the question.

Photo of Angus TaylorAngus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | | Hansard source

As I said, our emissions are down per capita at the lowest level for 29 years; our electricity sector emissions have fallen 6.5 million tonnes over the course of the year; and our $3.5 billion Climate Solutions Package will see us achieve the remaining 328 million tonnes of abatement that need to be achieved to reach our 2030 target, having exceeded our 2020 Kyoto target by 328 million tonnes. But not only are we meeting our international commitments; we're also making substantial contributions to reducing the emissions of other countries, and we're doing that through the record growth in our LNG exports. Indeed, we are now the highest exporter of LNG in the world.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

I've just got to say to the minister: the minister, at this point, has strayed off the question, because the question was about Australia. It didn't have that global component.

Mr Frydenberg interjecting

The Treasurer will cease interjecting.

Photo of Angus TaylorAngus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | | Hansard source

But what we will do in reducing emissions and meeting our international obligations is to ensure we keep a strong economy. We will not trash the economy as those opposite proposed to do in the policies they took to the last election.