Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said climate change is 'absolute crap'. Can the Prime Minister confirm that Australia's current 2030 emissions reduction target is the same 26 to 28 per cent target set by Mr Abbott?

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

It's the target that I, as Prime Minister, took to the last election and that was endorsed by the Australian people. That's what it is. It's a policy that was endorsed by the Australian people at the last election. When I took that policy to the election—when Labor took a policy of 45 per cent, and it was rejected by the Australian people—I said that we wouldn't just meet this target; we would beat this target. What we've seen is that emissions have fallen by more than 20 per cent on 2005 levels. We are making excellent progress towards that goal. Indeed, we will meet that target and we will beat that target, and I'll be in a position to advise the COP26 about our success in meeting and beating that target when I am there in a few weeks time.

We've already heard that on our side of politics—the Liberal and Nationals—our way to address climate change is to ensure we do it with technology, not taxes. But we heard from the Labor senator on the weekend—

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

No, Prime Minister, this is not an opportunity to do what you're—

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

I'll take the opportunity elsewhere, Mr Speaker, not in here.

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

That's right. Just get asked a question about it, and you can.

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

We are pursuing that pathway. That pathway has ensured not only that we've been delivering lower emissions but that we've been able to put a brake on those electricity price hikes and ensure we get more gas into the system to provide the reliability that is necessary to keep that stability in the system, ensuring that industry and manufacturing in particular—one in eight jobs were lost in manufacturing under Labor when they were last in power.

Our Modern Manufacturing Initiative is ensuring that we're putting Australians back into manufacturing jobs, with the figures that I've already referred to today in question time. That is being achieved because we're keeping energy prices under control. We're investing in the technology that is needed to reduce emissions. We're investing in reliable energy sources, such as gas as a transition fuel, to keep the lights on and to keep the prices down. Every time you hear Labor talking about cutting emissions, they're putting up your taxes.