Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Trade, Senator Farrell. I refer to the government's decision to sign the Belem declaration on the transition away from fossil fuels, which is an agreement to end Australia's second-largest—being coal—and third-largest—being gas—exports. Did the minister for Minister for Climate Change and Energy consult you before signing this agreement? If so, when did you first learn of the details of the Belem declaration?

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

Senator Henderson, I'd like to thank you personally for coming to the Sydney Institute last week to listen to my speech on trade. It was great to see you, and you might want to tell your colleagues the offer I made very publicly at that meeting.

In our government, we're an action government, and you've seen that in everything we've done—certainly in my space, the trade and tourism space and as the SMOS. But there is something unique about our prime minister in that he has trust in his ministers. So if he appoints you to be a minister then he gives you the responsibility of looking after that—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senator Henderson.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order, Madam President, on direct relevance. I was seeking information on whether the Minister for Climate Change and Energy consulted Minister Farrell before signing this agreement and, if so, when Minister Farrell first learned about this.

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

I will draw the minister to your question, Senator Henderson.

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

As I was saying, this prime minister gives his ministers the responsibility and, in the case of the issues that were raised at the COP, they were issues in the purview of Minister Bowen. I don't tell him how to run his portfolio; he certainly doesn't tell me how to run mine. I have noticed the criticism of Minister Bowen by the opposition. We have completely rejected that criticism of Minister Bowen. He's doing a fantastic job in this space. Just to give you one example of that: the battery scheme.

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

Minister, you've concluded? First supplementary, Senator Henderson?

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is common practice for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to commission economic modelling before signing agreements which affect Australian trade. Has the government conducted economic modelling on the impact of signing an agreement which ends Australia's second and third largest exports?

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

I thank Senator Henderson for her first supplementary question. I reject your categorisation of what that decision means. Until very recently, Senator Henderson, you were part of an opposition, and previous to that a government, that, firstly, signed the Paris Agreement, and, secondly—

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on direct relevance. I asked about whether the government has conducted economic modelling on the impact of signing this agreement.

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

And the minister is being relevant to your question.

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

You were part of a government and an opposition that supported the move to net zero by 2050. We're not going to get to net zero without the continued use, for instance, of gas. We simply can't switch off gas and turn on renewables. That's just not the way the world works. And this government and the Prime Minister himself— (Time expired)

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

Senator Henderson, second supplementary?

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the government wishes to end Australia's second and third largest exports, which made $150 billion a year for Australia last financial year, what does the government propose we replace them with?

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

I thank Senator Henderson for her second supplementary question. I don't think you listened to my previous answer, Senator Henderson, because this government sees an absolute imperative for the continued use of gas not only in this country but to export, for instance, to our friends in Japan. The first seven hours of energy every single day in Tokyo come from gas supplied by Australia. We are going to continue to honour our contractual obligations, and we're going to continue to use gas as that transition fuel so that, what used to be your objective, namely net zero by 2050, is in fact achieved by this government under this government.