Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Finance (Senator Birmingham) to a question without notice asked by Senator Gallagher today relating to climate change policy.

In question time today we again saw how hopelessly divided this government is on the question of action on climate change. In observing the government during the answers that Senator McKenzie gave to a series of questions, and then Senator Birmingham as well, what was patently clear was the chasm that stands not just between the National Party and the Liberal Party but within elements of the National Party and elements of the Liberal Party.

I notice Senator Scarr is sitting there, ready to have his turn speaking. I'm sure that Senator Scarr, someone who would regard himself as a modern Liberal, would probably be horrified to hear the views of the other two Liberals who are in the chamber, let alone those of Senator Rennick, the one whom they all want to disown. The reaction on the faces of Liberals was there as they had to listen to Senator McKenzie bang on and on and ramble all around the countryside about the Nationals' position on net zero emissions and climate change. It's no wonder that so many Liberals regard the National Party as the mad uncle who turns up to Christmas lunch. They are so embarrassed by their National Party coalition partners and the resistance that they have put in place year after year to taking action on climate change and to grabbing the economic opportunities and the jobs that await a country like Australia.

What has become clear over the last few days, and was reinforced in question time today, is that the National Party has become the antijobs party of Australian politics. For years they've been going around crowing and saying how much they care about jobs in regional Australia, ignoring the fact that they have cheered on big mining companies who have casualised their mining workforces and brought in labour hire in droves, undermining wages and undermining working conditions. They are a bit sensitive about casualisation.