Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to thank the people of Warringah for coming out in great numbers to support the launch of my new campaign to push for 75 per cent emissions reductions by 2035. On 18 May 2023, the fourth anniversary of my election as an Independent for Warringah, constituents filled the Taronga Zoo auditorium to hear from scientists, the finance sector, the energy sector and innovators about why we need to accelerate emissions reductions to address climate change. Constituents engaged enthusiastically with panellists and had many fascinating questions for the experts during the event. So many are frustrated at this place and at the pace of our transition in the face of dire warnings that the world will tip over 1.5 degrees of warming as early as 2027. We have the technology and the road maps. It's time to pull all levers available—from policy, regulations, investment and incentives to, ultimately, long-term targets.

It was also exciting to relaunch the Climate Act Now campaign. Nearly 98,000 people have signed on, calling for greater climate ambition. People from every electorate in Australia have signed up to push for greater action on emissions reductions and climate change. Whilst this government is on the starting line, it is still not doing nearly enough to slow down warming and keep Australia safe. The government urgently needs to move beyond the limited goal it took to the 2022 election. The world has moved on and set new benchmarks. The US passed the Inflation Reduction Bill, which provides tax incentives to businesses and households to electrify, incentivises domestic green hydrogen production and injects up to $1 trillion into the green economy. The EU responded by passing the Net Zero Industry Bill, which boosts diversification of supply chains for net zero technologies and requires the public sector to consider sustainability and drive upskilling of the net zero workforce through net zero industry academies.

It's imperative that we capitalise on our natural advantage and increase investment in renewable technologies. We need to urgently assist households to get off gas, to get rooftop solar and batteries, and to electrify their cars, their water, their home heating and in particular their cooking, because that has huge health benefits. We need to set a 2035 target that actually puts Australia in the race to develop green hydrogen and be a renewable energy superpower. That means getting brave and getting ambitious. We need a floor of 75 per cent by 2035 to even be in the race.

I thank my constituents for being so dedicated on this and Professor Lesley Hughes, Tim Buckley, Anna Freeman and Saul Griffith for the knowledge and insights they brought to the panel—there are so many. We need to continue with this. I commend the government to get more ambitious.