Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yesterday morning, like many people, I exhaled a massive sigh of relief at the news that Joe Biden will be the next US president. I cried tears of joy and relief as I listened to Kamala Harris say that while she might be the first female US Vice President she won't be the last, because every little girl will now see the opportunity. But the main reason I felt this relief was that, by promising genuine action on climate change and the commitment to net zero by 2050, Joe Biden's election changes the trajectory for all of our futures. It provides challenges and opportunities for us here in Australia, particularly for the Morrison government's missing climate change policy.

There are opportunities for a refresh in what is our most stale, tired and dangerous political debate, which falsely suggests getting serious about tackling climate change is something only people living five kilometres from the centre of a major CBD care about. They're challenges, because, if this government can't change course and policy, Australia will miss out on the jobs and opportunities of the future. Japan, South Korea, the UK and the EU all committed to net zero emissions by 2050, and China by 2060, and now the US commits, leaving Australia in limited company, locked out of the markets and opportunities we need to secure our future. We are all suffering because Scott Morrison is so beholden to his backbench ideologues that he puts their crusade above the jobs that our country needs. I've said it before and I'll say it again: he's not a leader and he's selling us short. (Time expired)

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