Dave Sharma (Wentworth, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister outline to the House why it is important for the Morrison government to provide a stable and certain approach on the management and protection of our environment? Will the minister outline how this differs from past approaches?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Wentworth for highlighting the importance of managing the economy so that we can manage and protect our natural world, the environment and the communities that it supports.

Members in this place will be well aware of our government's policies and our key commitments: in the area of recycling, with a $167 million recycling investment plan; a $100 million environment restoration fund, supporting major projects across this country; our $50 million in world-leading environmental research, education and science—and I give a shout-out to the scientists in the gallery; and our 44 marine parks, in a network of marine parks second to none in the world. This morning I talked about the importance of adding a marine park in East Antarctica to generate the sorts of ecology and conservation values that this side of politics is well known for. Our leadership in the area of marine science is unprecedented.

Ms Butler interjecting—

The member for Griffith is interjecting. She hasn't asked me a question yet. Sometimes she interjects. I know she's waiting for everyone squeezed up on the front bench over there to provide her with some policies. Labor has no policies on the environment. There is no alternative record. I have just run through all of the things we're doing and the Labor party is silent. So, unfortunately, member for Wentworth, I've had to go back, before your time in the parliament, and look at the Labor record on the environment. Many will remember, front and centre, the carbon tax—a financial burden on every single Australian; the home insulation scheme—electrified roofs, house fires; and the solar credits scheme—does anyone remember? That actually added to the cost of electricity, and it had to be removed in a hurry because prices were going up too much. There were green loans, green rewards and a green start program—the green start program stopped before it even started! There was the cash for clunkers—$2,000 when you take your old car to trade it in. But that stopped before it even started: there was no cash and there were no clunkers.

I don't mean to trivialise it, but I have to make this clear: there are no policies coming forward today. There is no sound economic management from the Labor Party. What we are seeing and what we saw was a government—the Labor Party in office—lose control of the economy, and this was the result. Only the Morrison government can provide the stability and certainty that protects the Australian environment and the communities that depend on it. The Labor Party playbook, as we can see—tax, spend and interfere.

Ms Kearney interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Cooper will leave under 92(a).

The member for Cooper then left the chamber.