Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Duniam, thanks for the question. I'm interested in your description of it as a 'change'. It is my understanding that the previous government, of which you were a part, supported the findings of the Pepper inquiry. The government intends to use the safeguard mechanism to implement Pepper review recommendation 9.8 in relation to the direct emissions of any gas project in the Beetaloo Basin—that is, the scope 1 emissions—and the rules will therefore include provisions that have the effect of requiring gas facilities in the Beetaloo Basin to have net zero scope 1 emissions from entry. The government will refer the remainder of recommendation 9.8, concerning scope 2 and 3, to the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council and continue to work with the Northern Territory government on the arrangements around the Pepper review, which we understand the Northern Territory government supports.