Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of the member for Indi, I move amendments (1) and (2) to the Climate Change Bill 2022 and amendments (1) and (2) to the Climate Change (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2022, as circulated in her name:

(1) Clause 12, page 7 (line 18), at the end of subclause (1), add:

; and (e) the impact of the Commonwealth's climate change policies to achieve Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets on rural and regional Australia, including the social, employment and economic benefits being delivered by those policies in rural and regional Australia.

(2) Clause 15, page 9 (after line 34), after subclause (1), insert:

(1A) The advice given under subsection (1) must include advice on:

(a) the social, employment and economic benefits of any new or adjusted greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and associated policies, including for rural and regional Australia; and

(b) the physical impacts of climate change on Australia, including on rural and regional Australia.

I rise on behalf of the member for Indi, who has asked that I move these amendments on her behalf. The member has provided speaking points to the amendments, which I will now read out:

I am deeply disappointed that I have tested positive for COVID and will be unable to vote in favour of this Bill in the House.

Because this is a Bill that is good for regional Australia, and which will drive the economic future of regional Australia.

This Bill sets in law a commitment that the vast majority of Australians support—that we will decarbonize our economy by the middle of the century.

And today, I seek four simple changes to make a good Bill an even better one, by inserting regional Australia at the heart of our climate policy framework.

First, I propose to amend the Climate Change Authority to make sure that Australia's climate policies boost economic, employment and social benefits for rural and regional Australia.

In the Government's Bill, the Climate Change Authority is the body charged with advising on climate targets and climate policies.

I believe that renewable energy and the new industries it will unlock could become the next goldrush for regional Australia—but only if we plan it right.

Second, I am proposing to expand the list of eligible qualifications for appointments to the Climate Change Authority.

These are the people who will be advising on Australia's targets and tracking our progress to achieving those.

We need regional voices at that table. And we need people who understand how to make renewable energy actually deliver for regional communities.

Third, my amendment requires the Minister to outline the benefits that their policies are delivering to the regions.

A key part of the Government's Bill is that the Climate Change Minister must, each year, deliver a statement to the Parliament on Australia's progress in reaching our targets and the effectiveness of our climate policies.

Under my amendment, that statement must specifically outline the social, employment, and economic benefits that those policies are delivering to the regions.

This is an accountability mechanism.

It means that no Government can get away with a climate policy that does not specifically address the unique circumstances of and opportunities for regional Australia.

And finally, my amendment requires regions to be explicitly considered when setting new emissions targets.

Under the Government's Bill, the Climate Change Authority must provide advice on any new or revised emissions targets. Under my amendment, when advising on those targets, the Authority must advise the Minister on the benefits to regional communities that a higher target would deliver, and the physical impacts of climate change on regional Australia.

This means that in three years, when the Government sets our next target for 2035, it will be forced to reckon with two facts: that climate change is damaging the regions, and that decarbonizing the economy must deliver for the regions.

It is only sensible that Australia's climate policy framework has a particular focus on the regions because we regional Australians are at the forefront of the changing climate.

We regional Australians endure the brunt of the droughts, the floods and the bushfires that are becoming increasingly intense.

And it is the regions that will host almost all of the new renewable energy, all the new transmission lines and a huge part of the new industries Australia must build to truly take advantage of the net zero economic opportunity.

This transition will happen primarily in the regions, so it only makes sense that our climate policy keeps a special focus on the regions.

I thank the Member for Mayo for moving these amendments on my behalf and I thank the Minister for Climate Change and Energy for working with me constructively to improve the Government's Bill.

The Coalition right now has a choice—to support these amendments and support regional people, or to put old politics ahead of regional people and prosperity.

I urge all Members to vote for these amendments. By putting the regions back into the centre of the climate debate, we are making this Bill something that can work for every part of our country.

I was very pleased to read that speech and put forward those amendments on behalf of the member for Indi.

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