Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. The government announced its targets for the Paris conference last August—publicly. There were press releases. It was, in fact, lodged with the UN. It is a 26 to 28 per cent reduction on 2005 levels by 2030. The target has been the subject of many public announcements and statements. It is the same policy that we have had since August.

I really do question the Deputy Leader of the Opposition seeking to make something of what is a public announcement by us and suggesting that we say one thing in Paris and another in Canberra. But the deputy leader does have form on this, you see. She so often says things that really are subject to some detailed consideration. Dare I say: she has been scaremongering again on the issue of climate change.

I think it is important not to engage in hyperbole when one is talking about climate change. I remember in 2011 when the deputy leader tried to scare the senior citizens on the Central Coast by saying that they were going to be subject to the ravages of climate change. Well, this is rather interesting. On 4 November, in relation to climate change, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition said on ABC radio that she had visited the Pacific islands:

… to see, well, where an island used to be, the island of Eneko—an island that had a home on it, a garden, spread fruit trees, palm trees, it’s just literally disappeared into the sea.

She said, 'literally disappeared into the sea'. That was news to me. That was certainly news to the post. That was certainly news to the residents of Eneko. Colleagues might be interested to see the island of Eneko.

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