Tyron Whitten (WA, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Minister Ayres. What percentage of annual global CO2 emissions is Australia responsible for? I'll give you a hint. It's one per cent.

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

Thank you, Senator Whitten. I think the whole point of question time is that you ask the questions and the minister answers them. But I'll call Minister Ayres.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, Senator, I haven't quite reached the point in this place where I'm asking and answering my own questions.

I'm not sure that that's a really helpful way of characterising what is important to Australia's national interest here. It is true that our onshore scope 1 and 2 emissions are—I think it's a larger number than the one that you quote—somewhere between one and two per cent. Australia is a very high per capita emitter. So, per person, even though that is a small amount in global terms, in individual terms we do have a responsibility here. But it's also true that it is in Australia's national interest for the world to move on these questions. That is why we are engaged in the international framework agreements—to use our contribution to make sure that we're an effective participant as the world moves. So that is one rationale.

Secondly, Australia, more than any other country on Earth, other than perhaps our friends in our near region, in the Pacific, has more to lose and more to gain from failure on climate and energy policy—our farmers, our coastal communities, our outer suburbs, where lifts in temperature create terrible conditions for working people to live in. But it is absolutely in our interest—

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

Thank you, Minister Ayres. Senator Whitten, first supplementary?

Tyron Whitten (WA, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. That was a long answer, when I gave you the answer. What percentage of man-made emissions are attributable to the three biggest CO2 emitters—China, USA and India—and have their total emissions increased or decreased over the past five years?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): Senator, you did say it was a long answer; it was the regulation two minutes. That's what we do here. You did then go on to talk about the top two emitters and you named three, but we'll work within the sort of framework you're trying to give me. That's why it's in Australia's interest to drive international cooperation and legally binding frameworks. That's why it is that we as a middle-sized economy rely upon international cooperation to drive that kind of change. We are seeing progress. And, as I said, it's in our interest to see that progress. As our competitors' and our partner economies' industries change, Australia cannot afford to be left— (Time expired)

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

Senator Whitten, second supplementary?

Tyron Whitten (WA, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A recent study has shown that China produces Australia's yearly emissions every 12 days, while they increase their CO2 emissions each year. Even if this climate apocalypse you preach is really coming, Australia couldn't stop it, and the three biggest polluters don't care. Why then would we cripple our economy and decimate our industry on the cusp of what Labor describes as a climate disaster?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is an emerging convergence here, I notice, between One Nation and the Greens political party in dismissing the importance of international frameworks. That is true. It's sort of interesting. But I think most Australians want to see credible action on climate change. They want to see international progress, because they accept the science. I know you and your colleagues don't accept the science. I know that most of these characters over here don't accept the science, but science is a real thing. I know you say it's not. I say to you: it is an incontrovertible fact that increased carbon emissions in the atmosphere are causing temperatures to rise. That is a real question that hard-headed people must engage with in an adult kind of way. That means that our industries are up for the challenge— (Time expired)