Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A brief indulgence on behalf of this side of the House: I dissociate this side of the House with the comments of the member for Dawson during 90-second statements. They are a disgrace and do discredit to the four people who lost their lives in the last 24 hours.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will come to his question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Before the horror 2019-20 bushfires, the Prime Minister ignored warnings from former fire chiefs that Australia was unprepared for the dangers. Now, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned:

The intensity, frequency and duration of fire weather events are projected to increase throughout Australia …

Will the Prime Minister ignore this warning, too?

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

Australia has not ignored any of those warnings. Our government has been acting on those warnings each and every day. That is why emissions reductions have been 20 per cent on 2005 levels. It is why we've installed seven gigawatts of renewable energy capacity in 2020. This is around eight times faster than New Zealand, Japan, Italy and the global average per person. It's three times faster than Germany and the EU. It is why we have the highest rate of solar uptake on roofs in the world. It is why we have met and beaten our Kyoto target, and we will meet and beat our Paris target. It is why we remain a steadfast, committed government to the Paris Agreement. It is why we have invested $20 billion in ensuring the technology that not just Australia needs but developing countries not just in our region like Indonesia, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea and other countries are seeking to ensure that they can develop their economies, but doing so in a way that deals with a world net zero economy of the future.

We know that every household, farms and businesses small and large are making the changes, whether it be in the mining industry, in the agricultural sector, in manufacturing—wherever it will be, they are being supported in the decisions that they are taking because of the very serious issues that have once again been confirmed by the IPCC report.

So we will continue to take action. We must continue to take action. And performance matters, and performance counts. Australia is the only country, to the best of our knowledge, that reports quarterly on its emissions reductions—every sector, every gas, every quarter. I wish other countries did the same, but that's what Australia does, because Australia knows that the way we achieve this is by equipping our industries, equipping our farmers and equipping Australians who are passionately committed to addressing this urgent action—urgent action that our government is supporting them to take through the policies that we've put in place.

We set out our plans. We are very careful to explain to Australians what the costs involved are and how we will manage those risks. There won't be the handing over of blank cheques on this issue from our government. We will ensure that we can work with Australians, whether they be in regional areas, the suburbs of our great cities or wherever they happen to be. We will carry this burden together. But we'll ensure that that burden does not fall on some Australians, like in regional Australia, and they are carrying the burden for the rest of us. We will ensure that our plan addresses their needs and takes all of Australia with us in addressing this very serious global challenge.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a fraud!

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

The member for Isaacs will withdraw that.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.