Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
2:17 pm
My question is to the minister for the environment—allegedly—Senator Watt.
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, I'm going to ask you to withdraw that.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
I withdraw. The Climate Council has said:
The Government's proposed reforms have a number of gaping problems: they fail to address climate pollution—the biggest threat to the environment; they will undermine our climate progress by denying the government power to limit climate pollution from massive fossil fuel projects; and they may speed up fossil fuel project approvals despite the harm they cause.
Minister, you've had multiple opportunities; why won't you rule out fast-tracking coal and gas under these new laws?
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
2:18 pm
Thank you, Senator Waters. I'm very honoured to hold the role of federal minister for the environment in a party that is the party of delivering real environmental reform. We never saw a Greens party deliver stopping the Franklin Dam, stopping mining in Antarctica, protecting Kakadu or protecting Murujuga. In fact, the Greens Party campaigned against the World Heritage listing of Murujuga only a few months ago. So I'm very honoured to hold the role of supporting federal Labor's policies when it comes to the environment.
As Senator Waters knows, when she puts her political rhetoric aside just for a little moment, the laws that we've introduced to the parliament deliver real gains for the environment—things like national environmental standards that have never been part of our law and things like requiring proponents to avoid and mitigate environmental harm.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I might have misheard the leader of the Greens interjecting in what was quite an unparliamentary way. I'd ask her to demonstrate, perhaps, a little more leadership than that.
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, I didn't hear anything—it is hard to hear up here—but, if you did make an unparliamentary remark, I'd ask you to withdraw it.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
It was very unparliamentary, but, on a point of order, the minister was asserting that he knew what my understanding was. He does not, so I retaliated. If I withdraw, he should too.
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, you are getting into a debating point. If you made the unparliamentary remark—and you said you did—I want you to just stand up and withdraw it.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
I withdraw, but the minister should know that I am a trained environmental lawyer. Don't purport to tell me—
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, please resume your seat. We're going to try it for the third time. When you withdraw, you simply withdraw. It shouldn't have statements around it. If anyone in this place uses unparliamentary language, they're asked to withdraw.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
I did withdraw. I'd now like to make a separate point of order.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
I would like to make a point of order, and I'm intending to do so now.
Sue Lines President
Just a moment—just indulge me, Senator Waters. I'd like you to withdraw the comment and then seek the call again.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
For the third time, I withdraw.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
I'd now like to raise a point of order—
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
which is that the minister is breaching standing orders by purporting to understand what my understanding and intent is. That's in breach of the standing orders.
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, you are getting into the territory of debating, so—
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
Well, what are the standing orders for, President?
Sue Lines President
Thank you, Senator Waters. Please resume your seat. Have you finished your contribution, Minister?
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
Senator Waters knows that there are demonstrable gains for the environment in these reforms. She chooses to misrepresent the laws; that's a matter for her.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
Can I clarify. Was that the minister's actual answer to my question about whether he would rule out coal and gas fast-tracks under these laws? Was that his answer? Has he finished?
Sue Lines President
It's not appropriate to ask me to make judgements about answers. You're perfectly capable of doing that yourself.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
Well, through you, President, has the minister concluded his first answer or not?
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, you are on your feet. The reason you're on your feet is I've invited you to put your first supplementary. So that would indicate that the minister has finished his answer.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
2:22 pm
I'll give the minister a second opportunity, because he continually fails to take it. Minister, will you rule out fast-tracking coal and gas projects under these new laws?
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
These laws provide a range of ways for projects to be fast-tracked. We know that projects are being held up in red tape, including, in particular, housing and renewables projects. They also provide very strong protections for our environment, and that's why both the Greens and the coalition should support the reforms.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
This, perhaps, is why Chevron, BHP and the Minerals Council are loving these reforms. Can the minister rule out doing a dirty deal on these critical reforms with the chaos monkeys over here—the coal-loving, climate-denying, pro-emissions coalition?
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, I'm going to ask you to withdraw. Please withdraw that comment. It's 'senators' in this chamber, so I'd ask you to withdraw that comment.
Sue Lines President
No, Senator Waters. You're being disrespectful to me, because I did ask you simply to withdraw.
Sue Lines President
Thank you, Senator Waters. Have you finished your question? Yes. Minister.
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
2:23 pm
I'm not quite sure what the question was, but it's interesting that we see Senator Waters making something of parties working with the coalition when it was only last Thursday that we saw the Greens vote with the coalition to disrupt the convention here around question time. It was only before the election that we saw the Greens vote with the coalition to stop environmental reforms happening—
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
I've a point of order on relevance. I'm asking about environment reforms. I know the minister feels deeply uncomfortable about what he's proposing—or at least he should—but I would like him to answer the question.
Sue Lines President
Senator Waters, please don't get into a debate. I will draw the minister to your question.
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
As I was saying, speaking of environmental reform, it was only a few months ago that we saw the Greens party vote with the coalition to block these environmental reforms from happening, just like they did the last time Labor was in government as well. It's news to me that BP, Chevron and the Minerals Council have supported these reforms. I haven't seen that.
Sue Lines President
Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Hanson-Young?
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
I'd just like to draw your attention to the minister's gross misrepresentation of what occurred in the Senate. There was no vote. The government withdrew their bill—
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
You can't purport a vote that hasn't happened!
Sue Lines President
Senator Hanson-Young, please resume your seat!
Senator Hanson-Young, for the third time, resume your seat. Those are debating points.
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
What I have noticed in the last few days is support for these reforms from the Housing Industry Association, the Clean Energy Council and the Ai Group. It's those kinds of groups that the coalition or the Greens should be listening to so that we can deliver the renewables our country needs, along with the housing and the environmental protections that we need.
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
It's a point of order. You're the President. It's a point of order I am making to you.
Sue Lines President
You need to say that when you stand, Senator Hanson-Young.
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
It's a request to you, President. I ask you to reflect on the ruling you just made about whether a minister can misrepresent a vote that has occurred—
Sue Lines President
Senator Hanson-Young, I will certainly reflect, but I indicated to you that you were getting into the realm of making statements.
Corinne Mulholland Queensland, Australian Labor Party
2:26 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. The Albanese Labor government is committed to addressing climate change in line with the international community. This means taking practical actions on emissions and seizing the opportunities our abundant minerals and renewable resources offer. What progress is the Albanese Labor government making on addressing climate change, and what are the economic risks if we fail to act in line with our international partners?
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
Thanks, Senator Mulholland, for that question. Twice now, Australian voters have endorsed the Albanese government's practical policies to reduce emissions and to modernise our electricity system. We take that endorsement of our approach earnestly. Our approach to this task is absolutely in the Australian national interest. Australians want to see Australia be part of the international community, with the government listening to the science and reducing our emissions while we strengthen the economy. We are tracking well to meet our 2030 climate target. In the year to March, emissions were 440 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent—6½ million tonnes lower than the year before and 28 per cent below 2005 levels.
The risk to that approach is a return to the policy chaos and the investment drought—indeed, disinvestment—that happened in Australian industry and the Australian electricity system under those opposite. The efforts that we see from them to reconcile themselves with their approach—it is becoming very, very clear this week. They are all about themselves, not about the country. They are all about their internals, not about additional electrons. Nothing demonstrates that more than the opposition spokesman, Mr Tehan, who after their meeting said that the critical thing for them was to develop a 'pathway to bringing us all together'. It's all about their internals, not about engineering and science. Then he went on to say— (Time expired)
Corinne Mulholland Queensland, Australian Labor Party
2:29 pm
A central part of the Albanese Labor government's agenda for addressing climate change is building an expanded clean and affordable energy system. What progress is the Albanese Labor government making on building a modern energy system, and what parts of the community are already benefiting from this?
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
Thanks, Senator Mulholland.
On Friday, the opposition spokesman for climate change and energy said the priority was 'a pathway to bringing us all together.' Well, look how that's going this week! He then went on to say:
Exactly what that looks like, we are all working through it.
It's all about the politics, all about the internal politics of grievance and anger, all of the social media meme-driven silliness that's driving the approach over here, not actually carefully, systematically, in a disciplined way that provides certainty for the investment community, doing the work that is required to do what has happened this year. Wholesale prices falling 27 per cent compared with this time last year— (Time expired)
Corinne Mulholland Queensland, Australian Labor Party
2:30 pm
The Albanese Labor government is making sure that its emissions reduction agenda drives the creation of new clean-energy industries and benefits existing industry. How will the Albanese Labor government's climate change policy build new industry, and what are the risks to existing industry if these policies are unsuccessful?
Tim Ayres NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation
Well, this is hard work in the national interest. It involves using the machinery of government and working with the private sector to deliver real outcomes. There is $5 billion in the Net Zero Fund from the National Reconstruction Fund, an additional $2 billion for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and $1.1 billion for low-carbon liquid fuels. What this is all about is offering industry the support and encouragement it needs to invest in a modern electricity system fit for purpose in what are going to be tough decades in front of Australia. It is delivering for blue collar regions and blue collar suburbs in a way that meaningfully deals with the economic challenges and drives the investment that we need for the future. We are going to get on with the job. Those opposite will get on with the politics of arguing with each other.