Allegra Spender (Wentworth, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I move the amendment to the Climate Change Bill 2022 as circulated in my name:

(1) Clause 12, page 7 (line 16) to page 7 (line 18), omit paragraph (1)(d), substitute:

(d) the effectiveness of the Commonwealth's policies in contributing to the achievement of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and reducing emissions in the sectors covered by those policies.

I'd like to give some explanation to everybody here about why I've put forward this amendment. There are two changes that I'd like the government and the House to consider. The bill, as drafted, would require the minister to make an annual statement to parliament about Australia's progress in reducing emissions, relevant international developments, the government's climate change policies and the effectiveness of the government's climate change policies.

My first change would require that the statement consider, sector by sector, the impact of policies. It is important that Australians can see the progress being made by each sector of the economy and understand where climate policies are effective and where they are not. I hope this would bolster the government's sector-by-sector-specific plans, setting out targets and measures that would provide certainty for businesses, investors and other stakeholders.

My second change would require the statement to consider the effectiveness of the government's policies in general, rather than climate policy specifically. This is a subtle change but an important one. It will allow the minister, with advice from the Climate Change Authority, to consider the impact of the government's policies which may be making the emissions reduction task more difficult, such as fossil fuel subsidies. Transparency will help to inform the public debate and allow voters to take an informed view of the full cost of government policies.

I believe these changes are reasonable and sensible and will help us make progress towards emissions reduction. I hope that the government and others in this place will seriously consider supporting them.

Finally, I'd like to thank the minister and the rest of the crossbench, as well as the government, for their engagement over the bill. It's been an example of the kind of collaboration I think we need in this place. It has been respectful and cooperative and, I believe, constructive.

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