Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Cormann. Given Minister Hunt's many statements while in opposition that Australia will use the G20 to broker a new climate agreement with major emitters India, the European Union, China and the USA, that this is his personal project and that it is an enormous one-off opportunity to put together an agreement between the major emitters, can the minister confirm that Minister Hunt has secured climate change and this agreement as central points of the Abbott government's agenda for the G20, of which we take presidency on 1 December?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Milne for her question. The Abbott government will implement all of our policies, including our policy to reduce emissions across Australia in an effective, cost-efficient, economically responsible and environmentally efficient way at every level possible. The responsibility for the conduct of the G20 actually lies with the Treasurer. These sorts of questions are more appropriately addressed to the Minister representing the Treasurer in this chamber.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I was specifically asking you as you represent Minister Hunt and since Minister Hunt is the person who said that this was his personal project—that he will bring together India, the EU, China and the USA at the G20 under Australia's presidency. Are you saying that Minister Hunt has now abandoned making climate change central to Australia's agenda with the G20 and the presidency we take over on 1 December? Either Minister Hunt has abandoned it or he has not—which is it? (Time expired)

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Hunt is totally focused on and totally committed to delivering all of the policy commitments that we took to the last election. I am not going to get into the ins and outs of conversations that have taken place as we finalise our approach to the G20 next year, which is going to be a very important opportunity for Australia to provide economic leadership to the world.

I can reassure Senator Milne about the approach that this government is going to take to the challenges in relation to climate change. We will take effective action on climate change. We will take action on climate change in a way that is environmentally effective and economically responsible, that does not hurt families, pensioners, workers and businesses across Australia and that does not undermine economic growth across Australia, because that was the approach by Labor and the Greens that was rejected by the Australian people. (Time expired)

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. The minister has confirmed that Minister Hunt obviously has not thought that the G20 is serious enough for climate change to be raised in that context so I now go on to ask that, given his failure to attend the COP19 now on, can the minister tell us what conversations or meetings there have actually been between Minister Hunt and representatives of India, China, the EU and the USA on this emitters agreement project?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I completely reject the assertions made by Senator Milne in the opening sentences of her supplementary question. I have not done any such thing as she suggested. Furthermore, Minister Hunt is progressing all of our commitments, including our efforts to make appropriate and responsible progress in relation to effective action on climate change, including with our international partners.