Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister agree that communities in rural and regional Australia bear the brunt of inaction on climate change, through droughts, bushfires and floods? Does the Prime Minister recognise that communities in rural and regional Australia want action on climate change and will be the biggest beneficiaries of net zero by 2050?

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

I thank the member for her question. I do agree that it is true that I believe regions can be the biggest beneficiaries of moving into a new global economy where decisions are being taken outside of this country that impact on our regions. It's important that we take the opportunities that come with those new energy technologies, which can yield great opportunities for our regions. As the world continues to take action together, that will have a positive impact on Australia's climate as well. But I would also say this: it would be foolish to pretend that the economic changes that are occurring as a result of the world's response to climate change will not have negative consequences for rural and regional areas. That would also not be true. We are not blind to that, and that is why the Liberals and Nationals together will ensure that the policies that we have in place seize those opportunities, which come from those technologies, in rural and regional areas, but also enable them to deal with the negative impacts that will inevitably come because of the impacts on more traditional industries.

We want to keep making steel in this country. We want to keep making aluminium in this country. We want to keep making ammonia in this country. We want to continue the manufacturing jobs in this country. I note there are now over one million Australians employed in our manufacturing sector, as at 21 August this year. That is the first time manufacturing employment has been above a million jobs for over a decade.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I'll take the interjection. When those opposite came to office, there were over a million manufacturing jobs, and when they left office there were just a bit over 900,000. Manufacturing jobs went down under Labor. They've gone up under the Liberals. Rural and regional areas will benefit from our plans for investing in technology and ensuring we work with the regions, whether it's in infrastructure, water infrastructure, electricity transmission or the big projects that we're pursuing, like the Inland Rail or Snowy Hydro. The member opposite would know that in her own electorate the Snowy Hydro project is a jobs boon written and authorised by the Liberals and Nationals—that's where that project came from and that's the action we're taking. We will deal with these challenges through technology, not taxes. I note that on the weekend Senator Gallagher was asked, 'Is some sort of carbon price an option for Labor?' Her answer was, 'We are looking at everything.' Every time they say they want to reduce emissions—(Time expired)