Claire Chandler Tasmania, Liberal Party
2:52 pm
My question is to the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Farrell. Last week, the Albanese Labor government signed Australia up to an agreement for a 'just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels'. The agreement states that signatories 'support the call to advance a roadmap for the transition away from fossil fuels'. Coal and gas are Australia's second and third largest exports. Fossil fuels earned $153 billion for Australia in the last financial year. Minister, why is the government working with other countries to end our second and third top exports, and did the government model the cost to the Australian people of ending a quarter of our exports? If so, what is that cost?
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
2:53 pm
I thank Senator Chandler for her first question. The truth of the matter, Senator Chandler, is that, in order to get to net zero—a policy that your party used to support—
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
and legislated for—then that transition is going to require a transition fuel, and that transition fuel in this country is going to be gas. This government makes no apology—no apology whatsoever—for saying that gas is part of the mix to get to net zero. I don't believe that there's anything inconsistent with what we signed last week or with the sensible policies that this government has adopted. We're right—
Claire Chandler Tasmania, Liberal Party
I have a point of order on relevance. I asked quite specifically about the government modelling of the cost to the Australian people of ending a quarter of our exports. The trade minister has gone nowhere near answering that part of the question.
Sue Lines President
Senator Chandler, there was quite a preamble to that question, and the minister is being relevant to the question.
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
Senator Chandler, we don't need any modelling to know that we're going to need gas in the mix to get to net zero.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
The agreement is to end gas!
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
Senator Canavan, here we are adopting a policy that I assume you support, which is the continued use of gas to get to net zero. There is nothing magical about this.
Claire Chandler Tasmania, Liberal Party
2:55 pm
Labor's international agreement to end our second and third top exports were signed with just 23 other countries, none of whom are among our top 15 trading partners. Countries that signed the agreement represent under 10 per cent of global economic output. Why would the government sign an agreement which restricts our ability to use energy resources but allows 90 per cent of the world's economy to continue to use fossil fuels to take our jobs and our industries?
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
2:56 pm
I thank Senator Chandler for her first supplementary question. I speak with our trading partners all of the time. In fact, last week I met with the European Union. The first thing they talked to me about, of course, is how we can work together to extract our critical minerals in order to get to that point of net zero by 2050.
Matthew Canavan Queensland, Liberal National Party
President, the question was on an agreement involving 24 countries, which did not include the European Union, and now the minister is talking about discussions with the European Union.
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
Unlike when you were in government, Senator Chandler, we try to engage with our trading partners. We try to find out what their issues are, and we try to work with them to resolve the issues. Can I just give you one example of that— (Time expired)
Claire Chandler Tasmania, Liberal Party
2:57 pm
I'm sure it would have been a good example. Has the government consulted with affected workers in the regions and industry, including the tens of thousands of union members, about how to prevent jobs and investments shifting to competitor countries that have not signed this pledge?
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
2:58 pm
I thank Senator Chandler for her second supplementary question. I was with 700 union members on Saturday night at the Adelaide Convention Centre. I was there—
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
Which union was that?
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
You ask which union it was, and it happened to be the shop assistants' union, the finest trade union in the country. What those workers wanted to hear about—amongst other things; there were many things they wanted to hear about—was how we go about getting wheat, barley—
Sue Lines President
Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston?
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
President, I was wondering whether you might draw the minister's attention to the question. I was wondering how many members of the SDA are involved in mining.
Sue Lines President
Thank you, Senator Ruston. We don't need the commentary. I will draw the minister to the other union members that Senator Chandler referred to in her question.
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism
I can tell you there are a few of them up at Roxby Downs, who Minister Ayres and the resources minister met a few weeks ago, who actually provide all the food to the mining workers. Minister Ayres and I— (Time expired)