Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Northern Australia, Senator Watt. During the inquiry into the government's climate change bills, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility indicated there are a total of eight coal- and gas-related opportunities within the project pipeline. Can the minister guarantee the continuation of these projects?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the former shadow minister for Northern Australia, I don't require a folder for this answer, but I thank you for the question, Senator McDonald. I think it's well understood that the Labor Party's position in relation to any resource project—coal, gas or any other mineral—is that we assess it on its merits. We do not have the same position as the Greens, which is a blanket ban. We do not have the position of the opposition, which is to support every single project without having a look at the environmental or economic benefits of it. We have a sensible approach.

Our position is very simple. If a particular project stacks up economically, environmentally and socially, then it will go ahead. Every project will go through the proper assessment proposals. Every project has to stack up economically, and every project has to pass the environmental test and get the environmental approvals. The projects that you're talking about are hypothetical in nature at this point in time, but should those projects be applied for then we will consider them on their merits.

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline how the proposed bill will affect the future investment decisions by NAIF, considering the government's commitment to increasing gas supply?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, the position being put forward by this historic bill from this government is that what we will do, for the first time, is lock in an interim emissions target of 43 per cent by 2030. It's a real target, it doesn't rely on technology that has yet to be invented, and is of course a pathway to net zero by 2050.

I might say to Senator McDonald and other members of the opposition that these are targets that are already committed to by pretty much every resources company in the country. Every resources company in the country that you care to think about has committed to net zero by 2050. They are all already making changes to reduce their emissions and, frankly, what this government is doing is just trying to catch up with where industry is, on the way to then leading. It's something that, unfortunately, the former government didn't do. We saw industry get well ahead of the former government's policy, and all that did was deprive regional Australians of jobs. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald, a second supplementary question?

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. That didn't answer my last question at all. Can the minister guarantee that no proposed or committed gas projects that are currently within NAIF's pipeline will be refused financing as a result of changes under the legislation?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've seen no evidence whatsoever that this government intends to change NAIF's investment mandate or rules in the way Senator McDonald is talking about. As the minister representing the northern Australia minister, I have seen no evidence to speak of—

Thank you, Senator Green, for reminding me: the only government that we have seen interfere with the NAIF's investment decisions about investing in resources and energy projects is the former government, which killed off a wind farm outside Cairns—the Kaban project—that would have delivered about 250 jobs to Cairns.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald, a point of order?

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I specifically asked about the changes under—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Green, I would ask you—if that was you—to desist.

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I specifically asked about the projects within the NAIF pipeline to be refused funding as a result of changes under this legislation—specifically.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McDonald, and I do believe the minister is being relevant.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, the climate change bill is about bringing in an interim target to reduce our emissions. There is nothing in the bill, that I'm aware of, that would have the effect Senator McDonald is talking about. I would certainly hope she and her colleagues are not intending to continue the same scare tactics we saw for 10 years that held back investment, drove up our emissions and cost jobs.