John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In great news for the country and the planet, Australia has now a target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Our Prime Minister will be able to go to Glasgow confident that we're doing our part to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today. With this commitment and this plan, we know we can achieve what we set out to do.

As with everything else, there's a lot of interest about this in Bennelong. I have met multiple times with local groups, including the Bennelong Climate Action Group, Christians Together for Climate Bennelong and Citizens Climate Bennelong. I trust they will all welcome this announcement and this commitment. We will get there sooner. All across Bennelong, more and more homes are going solar, electric car numbers are on the rise—Hyundai, which is headquartered in Bennelong are world leaders in hybrid electric and hydrogen powered vehicles—and businesses across Bennelong are cashing in on the opportunities offered by this new direction.

I have had faith in our ability to develop green technologies to increase the speed of our decarbonisation ever since the CSIRO developed more efficient solar panels at a site just down the road from my office. Australia has been at the cutting edge; I know of successful testing of new wave-swell technology that has just been proven in Bass Strait, and I'm sure that there are more exciting breakthroughs to come through. The future is green and the future is exciting. (Time expired)

Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have never felt more ashamed to be Australian! Yesterday, the Prime Minister presented his so-called 'plan' for Australia to reach net zero emissions by 2050, but this plan includes nothing new. It's just another glossy brochure, without modelling and with no real commitment to reducing emissions in the medium term. It's a plan based on technologies that don't even exist! It's just a hollow announcement that isn't underpinned by legislation. Instead, it's driven by a desperate government which is driven by political gain, not by what is right for our future and the future of our planet.

What we've seen are dodgy secret deals with the Nationals and a promotion for the member for Hinkler. The boldest thing that the Prime Minister's plan has done is the font. Even Australian farmers want stronger action because they fear the financial penalties for being high-carbon emitters. This pathetic plan represents nine years of woeful inaction. The Morrison-Joyce government is just continuing to run away from its national and global responsibilities on real climate action and it's our children and our environment that will suffer. Global warming is an immediate threat to our planet and our future lifestyles, opportunities and prosperity are at stake, along with the devastating loss of biodiversity.

This is not a plan to get to net zero any time soon. It is not a plan, it's just another scam by the Morrison government.