Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak against the urgency motion before us. The government is deeply concerned about reports of methane leaking from the Darwin LNG facility. That is why the minister has asked the department to review these reports as part of its important work with the expert panel on methane reporting. I reiterate the comments of my colleagues: this is a matter for the Northern Territory's EPA regulator to manage.

The government has complete confidence in the work of the relevant authorities and deep respect for the work of agencies like the CSIRO. I understand this facility has already been the subject of several reviews and investigations by the operator, Santos, and the Northern Territory EPA. We know the tank is currently not in operation. It was subject to an engineering investigation in 2020, when approval was sought to extend the life of the LNG facility. The appropriate regulatory approvals are in place and it has an approved safety case. The methane emissions are reported under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme, with a monitoring program in place. The licence to recommence operations of the tank is up for renewal on 18 September. It is a matter for Santos and the Northern Territory regulator to decide the most appropriate course of action.

Under Labor, these emissions are reported, under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act. They will be reported, scrutinised and subject to the safeguard mechanism, which has been strengthened under this government. Labor takes seriously the methane emissions, and we are modernising Australia's methane monitoring and reporting, with satellite technology, using the most rigorous, transparent data in our history. We take these obligations very seriously, and we will continue to make improvements in line with evidence and with science. Through updates to the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme and an expert panel led by the Chief Scientist, we're integrating satellite and atmospheric measurement into our emissions accounting. Greater transparency for methane emissions was achieved in April this year, when facility-level methane emissions were published for safeguard facilities for the first time, along with the methods used to estimate those emissions. The Albanese government's response to the Climate Change Authority's review of the scheme shows that we take our reporting requirements seriously and make improvements based on science and evidence. The CCA review found the scheme was performing well and made 25 recommendations, including one to enhance fossil methane measurement reporting and verification. The work of the expert panel continues, looking at ways to further strengthen methane reporting. That is transparency in action, and it shows we will hold facilities to account. It means we have the very best science here in Australia underpinning our reporting. It means Australians can have confidence that our emissions reductions are real, measurable and verifiable.

Our government is delivering strong and credible action to protect our environment and cut emissions. For too long, Australia fell behind the world. The Liberals gave us a decade of denial and delay, leaving our country isolated on the international stage. But Labor changed that. In 2022, the Albanese Labor government ensured Australia joined the Global Methane Pledge, committing to work towards a 30 per cent reduction in methane emissions by 2030, and we are backing that commitment with practical action. We understand that reducing our methane emissions is crucial to meeting our commitment to net zero. That is why the National Reconstruction Fund includes funding streams for methane reduction technologies, as well as funding through the Methane Emissions Reduction in Livestock program. We are fighting climate change on all fronts, and Australians can be proud that we, the Albanese government, are protecting our environment, strengthening the economy and building a cleaner, safer future.