Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Prime Minister: why is the government's climate change policy still being driven by extreme climate sceptics on its backbench when net zero emissions by 2050 is supported by 73 countries including the UK, Canada, France and Germany, every Australian state and territory, the Business Council of Australia, our largest airline, our largest bank, our largest mining company and our largest telecommunications company?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I simply make the observation that the shadow minister responsible for that portfolio area can't even get 20 of his own backbench to agree on a 2030 target for emissions reduction—something that we did when we were in opposition. He, as a shadow minister, can't even get unity amongst his own backbench on being able to say what happens 10 years from now, so he's had to punt it right down the other end of the field, out to 2050, because it's going to take them 30 years to agree on anything on that side when it comes to emissions reduction.

Tonight they'll go out to their restaurants—they'll go out to Otis or wherever they go—and they'll get into their huddles, and there will be a yawning gap when it comes to climate policy on that side. If you can't say what you're going to do in 10 years, how can they honestly be trusted about what they say is going to happen in 30 years? But they've raised some of the other countries—even the New Zealand government was smart enough not to include the agricultural sector when it came to their net zero emissions. It only happens to be 34 per cent of the emissions in New Zealand. They make reference to those in Europe and to those who are leaving Europe, but I note that the European Community, who has made that commitment, has given Europe's largest coal-generating country, Poland, an exemption—an exemption!

The Leader of the Opposition was so desperate, at the urging of the Milo group, to slap down the Otis group that he rushed out on the weekend and he said, 'No, no, no, I promise 2050; I'll make sure that those rebels over there won't get their say and I'll slap them down.' This Leader of the Opposition is in charge of his position. It is a rabble of views when it comes to the issue of climate policy. What I do know is this: the bill you couldn't afford at the last election is repeated by this Labor policy, under this Labor leader. It is a reheat of the bill they couldn't afford before, and they still can't afford it now. No plan; zero assessment of the cost; zero assessment of the impact; zero consultation, whether it be farmers or others; and zero positive news for the Australian people, who would be hit by a policy, if those opposite were ever elected, with a higher price on electricity, a higher price on farming, a higher price at the check-out, and a higher price on transport and petrol. A higher price is always what you'll pay under Labor, who just can't manage money.