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

My question is to the Minister representing the Deputy Prime Minister, Senator McKenzie. The President of the National Farmers Federation, Fiona Simson, has warned that, if Australia does not adopt a net zero by 2050 emissions target, it would 'punish farmers' and that 'we cannot afford to squander this opportunity'. Is Ms Simson wrong?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's fantastic to have Senator Watt ask a question about agriculture. He's been here a while. He talks a big game from Brisbane on behalf of rural and regional Queensland. But it's fantastic. I hope he's also met with the NFF—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I'm sorry, I'm from the south—Brisbane, Gold Coast—it's all the same to me. He talks a big game. I'm hoping you have met with AgForce, who is the Queensland representative on the NFF, because they actually have very strong views on this particular issue. They are very, very clear that, whilst obviously agriculture is making great inroads into lowering emissions and different production systems, whether it's the grains industry and carbon sequestration or whether it is the beef industry, committing to net zero by 2030 without a carbon tax, I might say, which your government—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, on a point of order?

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

On relevance, Mr President. I know that Senator McKenzie isn't close enough to the farming community to know that there's a difference between the NFF and AgForce—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, sit down! Points of order are not an opportunity to make gratuitous comments across the chamber. You have the call, but please make a point of order.

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

On relevance, the question was about the National Farmers Federation rather than any other farming group that the minister chooses to talk about.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, on the point of order?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, if Senator Watt actually knew something about the agricultural industry, he would know that AgForce is a member of the NFF. So it's exactly relevant!

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan!

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But he knows nothing about farmers—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, resume your seat! Senator Wong, on the point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I'd ask you to reflect after question time. You did deal very sternly with Senator Watt very quickly. Senator Canavan continued to ignore your—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I haven't finished my submission, Mr President.

Government senators interjecting—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, on my right!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We just want even-handedness.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, I was calling Senator Canavan to order. Senator Watt, had you completed your point of order?

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

I had.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was listening very carefully to the answer. You've had the chance to direct the minister back to the question. I do not believe I need to do more than that at this point. I am listening carefully to the answer. Minister, you have the call.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I speak to Fiona Simson, the president of the NFF, regularly. I also speak to Georgie Somerset, the president of AgForce and a member of your own farmers federation, the National Farmers Federation. They've made it very, very clear to me, to the coalition and to the National Party party room in the context of this debate that farmers have done their fair share, that they have done the heavy lifting and that they want that recognised. Do you know why they did the heavy lifting? Because of the Queensland government's native vegetation laws? It is because of the Palaszczuk state labor government's—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, the point of order is on direct relevance. The question went to the statement by the president of the NFF as to how, if Australia does not adopt net zero by 2050, it will punish farmers and whether or not Ms Simpson was wrong. I didn't raise a point of order earlier about the lengthy discussion about AgForce et cetera, but this is now an entirely different subject.

Government senators interjecting—

You forget that I was shadow minister for trade. A lot of people still do. You should remember that.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! This is not an opportunity for discussion across the chamber. Senator Wong, please complete your point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I have; thank you, Mr President.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan on the point of order?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister was clearly referring to the arguments that the National Farmers Federation have made this week around their position which relate to tree clearing and native vegetation laws around this country.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am prepared to make a ruling now. Senator Wong, while I believe that Senator McKenzie has not been in breach of standing orders, I am listening carefully to the answer. I do think there is a risk of straying, but I do not believe that Senator McKenzie has strayed from the question.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I did touch all the high notes—the National Farmers Federation, Fiona Simpson and net zero. What farmers are absolutely sick and tired of is a Labor Party that doesn't understand the contribution that they make and that they want to be compensated and recognised for the contribution they have already made to the reduction in emissions in this country. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, a supplementary question?

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

The Minerals Council of Australia, which represents resource companies, including BHP, Rio Tinto and Whitehaven Coal, has endorsed net zero by 2050, saying the minerals sector 'has confidence' a target of net zero emissions by 2050 can be reached. Is the Minerals Council of Australia wrong?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note in putting their support forward for an aspirational target of net zero by 2050 the Minerals Council a couple of weeks ago made it very, very clear that we can't do that without carbon capture and storage technology being implemented in this country. So we look forward to the Labor Party supporting National Party amendments to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation which will do exactly that and ensure that the dirty deal done by Gillard and Brown to establish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation will actually fund carbon capture and storage—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There certainly are dirty deals being done at the moment, and Senator McKenzie can talk about them. But my point of order—

I'm happy to give leave for Senator Rennick to speak. Do you want to do that? If you stand up and seek leave, Senator Rennick, we will give you leave.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, please resume your seat. Points of order are not an opportunity to debate matters across the chamber or for interjections from my right. I will give Senator Wong the opportunity to restate her point of order. Senator Wong, have you finished?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Alright. I am listening carefully to the answer. You've had the chance to bring the minister back to the question.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, carbon capture and storage technologies, along with nuclear technologies, are recognised by the International Energy Agency as the two technologies which are actually going to be essential to getting to a low-emissions future. So I look forward to the Labor Party and the Greens supporting 21st-century technologies that will— (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the chamber agrees, we can do the final supplementary question. There is no objection. Senator Watt, a second supplementary question?

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

Given the comments of the National Farmers Federation and the Minerals Council of Australia, when will the fake farmers and the fake miners in the National Party listen to the real farmers and the real miners who support net zero by 2050?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am a little concerned, Mr President, that the amount of points of orders that have been made during this answer have meant that I actually don't get asked my dixer by Senator Matt Canavan on the fabulous work we're doing in Queensland for the beef industry, and Blair and Josie Angus. But I love the fact that Senator Watt thinks it's too cute by half, talking about fake and real farmers. I would put a hundred bucks on the President's table that you have never sat down with a real farmer in your life. I am going to ask Georgie Somerset, the president of AgForce, to come and pay you a little visit so she can talk you through what your outrageous state Labor government has done to Queensland farmers—and that we are meeting and beating our emissions targets as a result of their hard work. We will always stand up for farmers—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, your time has expired. We have now hit a hard marker.