Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister critical of the New South Wales government for committing to net zero emissions by 2050?

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

We're working with the New South Wales government. Just a few weeks ago the Premier and I stood together and we agreed a plan, some $2 billion to invest in what is happening in New South Wales and in Australia to achieve important targets. We have a plan. You see, that's the thing, Mr Speaker. That's what the Leader of the Opposition doesn't understand. He doesn't have a plan. He just has some sort of vague commitment to something 30 years from now.

I'm happy to work with the New South Wales government, because they have a plan and we have a plan and, together, we're implementing that plan. And I'll tell you what a big part of that plan is: it's about getting access to the gas that this country needs to ensure that we firm up renewable investments—

Mr Josh Wilson interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Fremantle is warned.

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

in this country, which are at record levels, to put stability into our electricity grid. That's a plan. The problem with what the Labor Party is proposing with their commitment of a net zero target by 2050 is they have no plan. Where's the $22 billion going to come from every year for the next 30 years? Where's the more than $1 trillion investment that is supposed to be in place to achieve what they say can be achieved? Labor has no plan to deliver this. I know why they don't have a plan. It's because all this is about is trying to avoid the hard question about what Labor's commitment is to 2030. Those opposite cannot agree amongst themselves—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hindmarsh on a point of order.

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister is a minute and a half in. It was a very tight question about whether or not the Prime Minister was critical of the New South Wales government. It is not—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not sure what the point of order is.

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is on direct relevance. He has had a wide range, but it was a very specific question.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're right. The question was asking whether he was critical, and the Prime Minister answered by saying that he was working with the New South Wales government. You can't demand a yes or no answer. I was about to say to the Prime Minister, though, whilst he can compare and contrast over the 2050 target, he wasn't asked about alternatives. Whilst he has canvassed that by way of compare and contrast, he'll need to bring himself back to the question.

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

A key part of what we're working with the New South Wales government on is how we meet our 2030 commitment to ensure we reduce emissions by 26 per cent. A key part of that is how we've been able to agree with the New South Wales government to get access to the gas, get the gas out from under our feet, to ensure that we can firm up the renewable investments that put stability into the electricity grid. That's what we're doing because we have a plan to meet our commitments. When we make a commitment, we have a plan to meet those commitments. We took that plan to the last election, and it was endorsed. The Labor Party took a commitment of a 45 per cent emissions reduction target. They had no clue how they were going to achieve it, they didn't have any clue what it would cost and they were rejected by the Australian people. This Labor leader is doing exactly the same thing. He is the same bill we couldn't afford last time, and you can't afford him now. (Time expired)