Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before the member for Shortland leaves the chamber, I just want to say that you were spot on in your description of the hypocrisy of the Greens political party and the fact that we need to be taking the nation with us. That is exactly what we're doing, particularly when it comes to the Pacific. We have a huge responsibility there, and we are living up to those responsibilities. I'm immensely proud to be part of a Labor government that is taking climate action incredibly seriously.

We are delivering the big, visionary and practical reforms that will take the nation with us, such as the safeguard mechanism reforms. This mechanism was put in place by the previous Liberal government—those opposite. It was supposed to 'safeguard' against emissions increases from Australia's biggest emitters, but, after a decade of denial and delay, those emissions had in fact increased significantly and were on track to overtake electricity as Australia's largest source of emissions. In a decarbonising global economy, that's not just bad for our climate but bad for jobs and investment in our nation. That's why groups such as the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Industry Group recommended changes to the safeguard mechanism before the last election. The government adopted those recommendations and received a mandate for our Powering Australia policy, including reforms to the safeguard mechanism, at the election, and here we are on the government benches.

We are reducing emissions from our top emitters. It is crucial to reaching Australia's updated emissions reduction targets, which we legislated, of 43 per cent by 2030 and net zero by 2050. More than 70 per cent of safeguard facilities and 80 per cent of safeguard emissions are already covered by the 2050 net zero target, which these reforms will help to achieve.

As part of the Powering Australia plan, and funded in the last budget, the government is investing in the decarbonisation of existing industries and creation of new clean energy industries through the $1.9 billion Powering the Regions Fund. At least $600 million of this will assist safeguard facilities in reducing their emissions through energy efficiency upgrades, shifts to lower carbon processes or fuel switching to electrification, hydrogen and biofuels. As the member for Hunter has been very wisely interjecting, this is important for our workers—for Australians who are supporting their families—as we go through this transformation. As a party of government that is what we're committed to doing: taking the nation with us.

Our government is showing a sense of purpose and urgency in defending the natural environment that all Australians cherish. That's why I welcome the draft decision from UNESCO last month not to list the Great Barrier Reef as in danger. Does that mean that the reef is healthy? No, of course it doesn't. But it means that they identify that there is a serious government running Australia that has a plan for reef health. There are a number of ways that both our government and the Palaszczuk government are working to act on climate change and to protect the reef. The rest of the world has taken notice of that. As sources close to UNESCO recently told the French newspaper Le Monde, on climate change and the environment:

…the approach (from the Australian government) has changed completely. Between the new government and the old one, it's a bit like night and day.

Like night and day. The Australian government is back in international climate fora and showing the global leadership that this motion calls for. The Australian government has invested a record $1.2 billion in the reef and we've invested $150 million to improve water quality through projects such as revegetation, grazing management and engineering work, like gully stabilisation.

In the time remaining I'll talk briefly of action in my electorate. Through this government we are revitalising our urban rivers and we're also getting rid of the invasive gamba grass which is a threat to our natural environment in the Top End and to places like the world-renowned Kakadu National Park. I'm proud to be part of a Labor federal government that is taking serious action on climate change, but we must take the nation with us.

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