Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell.

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

He always gets a go!

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He does. The Greens yesterday stated that their deal on the safeguard mechanism has 'secured a climate pollution trigger for the first time in history'. Can the minister confirm that the government has agreed to adopt this climate trigger?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Duniam for his question. I can let the Greens speak for themselves on their side of the agreement. What I want to do is recognise the support that this agreement has gained, from conservation groups all the way to business groups. To give one example: Jennifer Westacott from the Business Council said, 'Business welcomes progress towards ending the impasse'—

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

Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Duniam.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, it won't surprise you that I'm raising a point of order on direct relevance. While I appreciate all the glowing endorsements the minister seems to have manufactured, I asked a specific question. Can I have an answer, please?

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

You asked particularly about the Greens position on a number of matters, and the minister has been relevant to that. Senator Birmingham.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order and your ruling, President: Senator Duniam did not ask about the Greens position. The question he asked was, 'Can the minister confirm that the government has agreed to adopt this climate trigger?'

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

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. The question started with the Greens. It went to the safeguard mechanism, climate pollution and a climate trigger and then it asked the government's position. I believe the minister is being relevant. I will continue to listen carefully, and, if he's not being relevant, I will draw him to the question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I can say that we're not amending the EPBC Act. What we're doing is saying that, when a project is approved under the EPBC Act, its emissions will be assessed against the safeguard mechanism targets. The two processes remain completely separate. It's about sensibly sharing information that is relevant to the safeguard mechanism scheme. The scheme does not give scope to the minister to reverse environmental approvals, and, while the government already has accountability through the Annual climate change statement, we are happy to add additional transparency and accountability to make sure the intention of the reforms is met.

I might add—I mentioned Jennifer Westacott—that the Ai Group made a comment about this deal that you don't like, Senator Duniam. They said it's a good deal. Innes Willox says it's a good deal. The treatment— (Time expired)

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

Senator Duniam, first supplementary?

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 3 August last year, the Prime Minister and Minister Bowen were asked at a press conference if they would agree to the Greens' demands to use the safeguard mechanism to stop certain coal and gas projects. The Prime Minister's response was, 'No, in a word.' Minister, why did the Prime Minister say one thing about this issue and then do completely the opposite?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Duniam for his first supplementary question. The opposition have only got themselves to blame for the position that they now find themselves in. They purport to be a party of government. They went to the last election with a policy of net zero by 2050. We are progressing that because we also took that policy to the people. We're progressing that, and at every point in the process the opposition is opposed to trying to deal with this issue of decarbonising our economy. We haven't heard a single word from the opposition about how they intend to decarbonise the economy. (Time expired)

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

Senator Duniam, second supplementary?

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 6 September 2021, Mr Albanese said that if the Labor Party won office at the next federal election:

We will be supporting our own policies going forward at the election. We won't be in a circumstance whereby any minor party tells us what to do.

Why has the Albanese government, in signing up to a dirty deal with the Greens on the safeguard mechanism, once again broken a promise that Mr Albanese made directly to the Australian people? Why?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Duniam for his second supplementary question. Last week we had the opportunity to deal with the referendum machinery bill, and to the credit of Senator Hume and the opposition leader, Mr Dutton, you engaged in that process. As a result, you were participants in that process. Now, what you haven't done—

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

Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Duniam?

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, a point of order on direct relevance. I asked him why they broke a promise. Could he tell us why?

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

Thank you, Senator Duniam. I will direct the minister to your whole question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You had an opportunity this week to engage in the process. You took the decision to deal yourselves out of that process and, if you continue to do that for the rest of the term, you will be even more irrelevant than you are right now. (Time expired)