Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I'll start by noting to the member for Warringah that provisions in the bill as it stands in front of us right now are that the Net Zero Economy Authority will be able to create advisory boards, where the board sees fit, for further advice on a range of things that have been mentioned in her contribution just now. When it comes to changes to the principles and adding additional principles to the bill, we believe that the objects of the act are clearly articulated in clause 3 of the bill, including promoting an orderly and positive economic transformation, facilitating the achievement of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and ensuring Australia's regions and workers are supported and benefit from the transition. We believe that's very clearly outlined in the bill as it stands.

With regard to the definition of net zero, we do not support this amendment. The bill currently refers to Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and our obligations under the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement sets a long-term goal of achieving a balance between 'emissions by sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century'. This is an established and widely accepted characterisation of net zero and, indeed, the one that has been accepted in other bills that have been passed through this House, voted on and voted for by those in the government and those from the crossbenches. We believe that it would create unnecessary confusion if it were to be interpreted in a different way to existing Commonwealth acts, and so we do not support that change.

With regard to the scope of worker supports, I note that, under clause 16(c), the authority will have a broad function to support workers in emissions-intensive industries who are or will be affected by Australia's transition to a net zero emissions economy. The energy industry jobs plan in part 5 of the bill is just one of a number of ways that the authority can do this. I'd also like to note and point out that, for people who are looking to retrain, change their skills, shift from industry to industry, or change their work, this government has already implemented a number of supports, including the work that we've done through Workforce Australia, through new energy apprenticeships and through the comprehensive fee-free TAFE programs that we've outlined.

We also note that, with regard to some of the functions the member has outlined, there are some parts of that work that do appropriately sit with other agencies, such as with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. And I've addressed quite comprehensively the government's views on the composition of the board, so I won't add more there.

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