Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Minister, yesterday Minister Ayres couldn't tell the Senate how much your government's role in the pre-COP next year will cost Australians. Can you confirm how much it will cost Australian taxpayers?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question. I did listen very closely to Senator Ayres's excellent responses to questions that he received yesterday. We are disappointed not to be bringing the world to Adelaide, but we think the agreement reached was a sensible one and one that reflects the importance of bringing the world's leaders to the Pacific so that they can see firsthand what some of their Pacific island leaders and communities are so concerned about in their response to climate change.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Are you going to answer the question at all?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ruston. I don't need your instruction about how to answer a question. The question was on COP, and I am answering. I am answering and I am relevant to COP.

Australia, in partnership with the Pacific, will set the agenda for and preside over a special pre-COP for leaders and others in the Pacific in 2026, which, as I said, will give the world an opportunity to see the Pacific climate impacts and solutions firsthand, and an important part of our advocacy around COP31 was our advocacy on—

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

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Chandler?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, the minister has been attempting to answer for more than a minute and she is going nowhere near the question. The point of order is on direct relevance. My question was: how much will the pre-COP cost Australian taxpayers?

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

Thank you, Senator Chandler. You also referred to questions asked of Minister Ayres yesterday, so I think the minister is being relevant, and I will continue to listen carefully to her responses.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm unsurprised that this is the new line of attack on climate from the opposition, that—

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it's not. Just answer the question.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, we understand—

Well, pretend you are doing something else, Senator Ruston, if it helps you sleep at night. I'm sure you argued very strongly for net zero! 'Don't walk away'! We saw the result of that. We have never seen a quieter Senator Bragg than we have seen in the last sitting week. Apparently, he got everything he wanted! We feel for you. In relation to costs, they will be determined in the usual way, as you would expect, just as costs of climate through our disaster relief fund and all the resources we put into that are dealt with— (Time expired.)

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

Senator Chandler, first supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, has Mr Bowen briefed you on what next year's pre COP will cost Australian taxpayers?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One thing about how this government works is that we work together and we talk all the time. We talk about what's in the nation's interests. We have meetings, we have structured processes, we have decision-making—unlike those opposite, who do all of their briefings on Sky News and who trip over each other, presumably, in the corridor in order to get their slot—

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

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Chandler?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order, once again, is direct relevance. That was a very short, tight question. All we need to know is whether Mr Bowen has briefed this minister.

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

Thank you. I will draw the minister to your question.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're really proud of the role that Minister Bowen played in Brazil. We're very proud of the role that he has secured as President of Negotiations and of the advocacy he provided on behalf of Australia and the Pacific. We think it is in the world's interests to continue the discussions and to bring the world's attention to what's happening in the Pacific. It is unsurprising that those opposite, who made a joke about how water lapped at the sides of the some of these nations, would be taking the view that they currently are on this matter important to our Pacific friends.

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

Senator Chandler, second supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australian taxpayers and businesses are suffering with skyrocketing power prices under this government's failing net zero plan. Minister, why is your government so focused on grandstanding at COP and the United Nations?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did notice actually—I saw it reported somewhere—that the shadow treasurer admitted yesterday that there were costs associated with the energy transition and that there would be costs under the coalition's approach, although we don't fully understand what that might be. This government believes in climate change. We believe that it is real, that it is having an impact in the Pacific and that we should be part of the global discussions about how to manage and reduce the effects that climate change is having. We accept that you, over there, don't believe in it and don't think you should do anything about it. Do you know why we know that is a real feeling? We saw it on display in the 10 years you had to actually respond to some of the energy challenges in this country. When all those coal-fired power stations said they were going to close, what did you do? You turned your back and walked the other way; you did nothing. This government responds, and we deal with things in the national interest.