Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that, but I note this is the very point the member for Fairfax made in his speech.

The reality is we do need to listen to the independent experts on this policy area. The overwhelming submissions in response to this inquiry wanted that. The main report and the lengthy dissenting report make clear the evidence established the demand and the need for clear policy on this area. A national risk assessment needs to be done, but we need clear adaptation plans to address that and we do need to legislate our pathway to net zero so that the business community, the investment community, industry and also the working communities that currently are facing a very real and significant transition know what that pathway will look like. Putting our heads in the sand will simply not resolve this.

This inquiry was vitally important. These bills are needed now more than ever because the government does not have a clear policy in this area. The bills, the subject of this inquiry and of this report, are based and very much modelled on conservative policy in the UK. They are a demonstrated model that works, and I urge the government to look at the recommendations and implement clear policy that responds to the clear need that was identified during the inquiry. It is evident from organisations like the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group, the Australian Medical Association and so many in our communities that they want clear policy. They do not want divisive policies around this.

The core elements of the bills establish that five-yearly budgets for emissions reduction be established. That is something that will provide policy certainty, which is desperately needed. We know that our international trading partners are all committed to this. They are moving forward. It is vitally important, as we move towards Glasgow and COP 26, that we address Australian policy. This bill, put forward as a private member's bill, was put forward with the goal to actually bring together both sides of politics for the benefit and future of Australia long term. This is an area of policy that desperately needs partisan politics to be put aside so that, for the good of the nation and the safety of Australia long term, we have clear policy.

It is an existential threat. As the member for Fairfax made clear, climate change and the risks of global warming are existential threats. They are existential threats from the point of view of not only our environment but also our economy. The cost to the economy will be so large. It does not bear thinking about the impact to future generations if they are left with the burden of the last two years with the COVID pandemic and on top of that they are left with an unresolved burden of climate change and global impacts. These bills seek to put in place a sound framework to address these challenges. I urge government members and coalition members to really take on board what their legacy will be if they fail to embrace sound policy that needs to happen. We are seeing it at a state level and we need to see it at the federal level.

This report, ironically, paves the way, as we approach an election, for more Independents to try to put forward solutions that are not stuck in political partisanship. I thank the committee for its work. I express my disappointment that coalition members of the committee were not able to put aside political party allegiance and actually address and engage with the very real issues of climate change and the need for a clear policy to reduce our emissions.

See this speech in context