Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Resources. In December last year, the Albanese government opened up expressions of interest for 25,000 square kilometres of ocean in the Otway Basin. Is the minister aware that this summer we saw extreme weather events that completely shut down the Great Ocean Road, from catastrophic fires through to flash flooding that washed holidaymakers out into the ocean? Does the minister think it's acceptable to be giving away our oceans to oil and gas companies in a time of climate emergency when we should be rapidly transitioning to renewable energy?

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

Thank you very much, Senator Whish-Wilson, for that question. I'll just reflect on some of the previous answers and discussions about friendship and the way that we ought to think about these things. There is a lot of interest over there, I think, on these issues of friendship. I watched a group of friends at that house before that funeral. I saw Senator Paterson looking like a bank robber who pretends to be a security guard—

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

Minister Ayres!

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President—

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

I'm assuming, Senator Whish-Wilson, you are asking me to draw him to the question, and I intended to do that before you stood.

Senator Whish-Wilson, it is not a time for a statement. Seriously! Minister Ayres, I draw you to Senator Whish-Wilson's question.

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

Thank you very much, President and Senator Whish-Wilson, for drawing me back. As you would know, Senator, we as a government disagree with the approach that you would advocate, which, in our view, would wreck the prospect of progress in international climate negotiations. It makes for good slogans and good T-shirts but in no way advances the position on climate or energy. Fifty-two per cent of Australia's oceans are already protected. We're working towards highly protecting 30 per cent. That does not mean, and it should not mean, stopping Australia's gas exports or the need for us to provide gas for industry, much of which means lower emissions and sustainable Australian industry. The approach advocated by you is bad for the environment, bad on global emissions, bad on climate progress and bad on jobs. (Time expired)

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

Senator Whish-Wilson, first supplementary?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, apart from the extreme weather events on the Great Ocean Road, which have been linked directly to climate change, we have also seen a record heatwave. We've seen two now in south-east Australia this summer. How are we going to transition off fossil fuels to get emissions as low as we need to get them to protect our families and future generations from a climate breakdown if you keep opening up more oil and gas fields in the ocean?

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

This is the difference between practical action that actually makes a difference on climate and energy questions and the sloganeering to no effect that comes from the Greens political party.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not practical if it doesn't work.

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

Adopting the position that you advocate would be disastrous for the climate, would be disastrous in emissions terms, would be disastrous for Australian industry and would mean that we'd lose the framework that is critical to delivering these things that Australia is providing a leadership role on. Releasing new acreage helps address—

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

Order! Senator Ayres, please resume your seat. Minister Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President—

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

Order! Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

Order! Senator Allman-Payne, whilst I hadn't named you directly, it was very clear on the three or four times I called for order I was meaning you. While I had the Leader of the Government in the Senate on her feet, you continued to interject.

You are not in a debate with me, Senator Allman-Payne. I have called you to order. That is a direct order. Please continue, Senator Ayres.

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

If you actually cared, genuinely, about the progress in climate, you would adopt the position that this government has adopted. If you actually wanted to make progress instead of go on a sort of constant quest for emotional self-fulfilment, you would support the government's approach. (Time expired)

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

Senator Whish-Wilson, second supplementary?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just south-west of this 25,000 square kilometres of ocean you're going to open up, off the coast of Adelaide we have a dead ocean from a toxic algal bloom that has been linked to warming oceans that have been linked to rising emissions that have been linked to fossil fuels. What have you got to say to communities in South Australia when you are opening up new areas for oil and gas exploration in the oceans in a time of climate emergency? I can't work out whether you're deliberately misinforming the Senate around climate change or you actually have a plan to properly reduce emissions and transition to renewable energy. (Time expired)

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

What this government is doing, Senator Whish-Wilson, is transforming our electricity system, supporting—just recently, with $5 million—our industries to move to lower cost electricity in the manufacturing processes. We are moving, under this government, from what it was under the previous rabble to a position of global leadership on climate, energy, industry and electrification. I know part-time Pauline over there disagrees with it, but we are investing in regional jobs and regional industry—

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

Minister Ayres, please resume your seat. I have the senator on his feet.

I'm just going to wait, Senator McKim. I haven't called you, Senator Whish-Wilson, because I'm actually waiting for your colleagues to come to order—perhaps you can assist. Senator Whish-Wilson.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've got a point of order on irrelevance. Are you really going to say that to communities in South Australia who are suffering from a toxic algal—

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

Senator Whish-Wilson, if you're calling a point of order, I expect you to make a point of order, not make a statement. I don't know how many times I've reminded the Senate that you don't stand up and make statements. Minister Ayres, please continue.

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

It's the old barefoot investor over there. You can't see a disaster that you don't want to politicise. You can't see a problem—like this problem. What you'll get from our government is progress, effort and a coherent political framework—

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

Thank you, Senator Ayres.