Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management, Senator McKenzie. Do you accept the science and acknowledge that there is a link between climate change and drought?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson-Young for her question. It seems that we're actually playing merry-go-rounds here. I've been very, very clear that Australian farmers, the Australian government, those of us who are involved in food and fibre production in this country, accept the science of climate change. That means that when we have the variabilities in the climate that we have right now—it's not unusual for Australia to be in drought. It's unusual for it to be as devastating as this one, but it's not unusual. So, to say that climate change, per se, in the present, has been responsible for all of the droughts that our country has been through over the last two centuries, and previously, is a long bow to draw. But if you're trying to somehow make out that I don't accept the science of climate change, if you search Hansard or any of my public comments you'll be hard-pressed to find that data, because you won't. We accept the science of climate change. We've got a strong package of measures that we took to the federal election to address it, not just in my own portfolio of agriculture but in Angus Taylor's energy portfolio—

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young on a point of order.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was whether the minister accepts the science and acknowledges that there is a link between climate change and drought. I'd like an answer to that question.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do believe the minister is being relevant. She has 45 seconds to answer the question, with more detail if she chooses.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't think I actually could have been clearer. So, why don't I talk about the Future Drought Fund and the $5 billion that we have put into that to actually assist farmers and communities, not today but over the coming years, to address climate change and address their resilience and the resilience of their businesses to the fact that we will be seeing droughts, heatwaves et cetera in this country? That's the reality. That's why we've actually put money—real money—on the table to assist communities and industry, going forward, to be more resilient in the face of climate change.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, a first supplementary question?

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, seeing that you do accept the science on climate change, do you agree then that climate change is exacerbating the drought and that with every tonne of coal dug and burnt it is making conditions worse for our farmers, for our rural communities, and for the Murray-Darling Basin?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When I head out to rural and regional Australia and I am talking to farmers who are suffering from the worst drought our country has seen, one of the things they talk to me about a lot is the cost of electricity. We know that, particularly if you're a dairy farmer, you can have high input costs because of the cost of grain at the moment, because of the drought. You have increased costs of water because of the drought. There are also high input costs when it comes to electricity prices, which is affecting profitability at the end of the line. When input costs go up and you're not getting much more for your product, you know what? You have less money and so you are doing it tough. Dairy farmers are doing it tough, because of the price of electricity, amongst other input costs. Our government is committed to getting that down, and that means supporting reliable supply. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, a second supplementary?

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you didn't address the link between climate change and drought. Let me put this to you: your drought policy is to build dams and to pray for rain. Do you accept that, until your government gets a policy on climate change, you've got no policy on drought at all?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is good on drought and what is good for regional Australia by that mob over there is absolutely obscene. For you to stand up—I could shut down every coal fired power station today, right now, and I tell you what, Sarah: we'd still be in drought. Our farmers would still be doing it tough.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind you to address the senator by her correct title.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, Madam Deputy President. It's a bit of a joke, very rich—again, playing politics for Fitzroy, Brunswick and the like, thank you very much.

An opposition senator: Elwood?

It's 'leafy Elwood'! But for you to come in here and lecture us on how to deal with the drought—that if we switched off all coal-fired power stations in this country today, somehow, miraculously it would rain tomorrow—is just a joke. I believe the science, and I know what science will tell me: that won't happen.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order: the only person talking about miracles in this place is the minister, who says, 'We just should pray for rain.'

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's a debating point.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You know what, Senator Hanson-Young? I'm not the only one praying for rain. There are a lot of people in regional Australia—a lot of people across this country—praying for rain. (Time expired)