Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about a topic which my electorate of Higgins cares deeply about: climate action. As a child growing up in the town of Albury, in regional Victoria, in the 1970s, climate change was not something we spoke about around the dinner table or at school or that we heard about in the news. Over the years, however, this has changed. My family are sixth-generation winemakers in Rutherglen. As viticulturalists, they know the seasons have changed. They know the seasons are altering due to climate change. The bushfire season of 2019-20, known as the Black Summer bushfires, has changed our minds forever. Now action on climate is at the forefront of the minds of many Australians, regardless of their age or where they live. Despite Melbourne being unfortunately recorded as the most locked down city in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, climate action has remained a pressing matter for those in my electorate of Higgins. As I said in my first speech in this place, action on climate is not just an environmental imperative; it's an economic imperative. More than that, we now know it's an economic inevitability, as the whole world pivots through a clean energy transition.

The Morrison government does not make commitments unless we can deliver them. Accordingly, Australia has met each of its international commitments, whether it's Kyoto 1 or 2. In fact, we beat our Kyoto-era targets by more than 459 million tonnes. The current updated forecasts show Australia is on track to meet and beat our 2030 Paris targets. Australia's emissions are at their lowest level since records began in 1990. Emissions in 2020 were more than 20 per cent lower than in 2005. Australia is leading the world in per capita uptake of rooftop solar panels. This is something worth celebrating. Not every country has our record of delivery. Since 2005, Australia has reduced our emissions faster than Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA. Although this is something we can all be proud about, there is more work that must be done.

Australia is now committed to net zero emissions by 2050. This is a momentous decision for our country. Make no mistake: this is a pivotal moment in the history of our energy. But it's not enough to have a target; we need a plan. For real action on climate change, there is no quick solution, no silver bullet. We on this side recognise this. We do not make planless promises. Yesterday, the Prime Minister, along with the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, released Australia's long-term emissions reduction plan to deliver net zero emissions by 2050. This plan sets out the way forward, aiming to establish Australia as a leader in low-emissions technology through the creation of new markets, including hydrogen and carbon farming, as well as carbon capture and storage technology. The Morrison government is committed to investing in the next generation of energy technologies, which will deliver lower emissions, lower costs and more jobs. The path to net zero is not a straight line. If you look at the recent COVID-19 pandemic, you can see that leaps in technology are the norm for R&D. Through technology, partnering with a free market and evaluating technology development so that Australia can lead the way with clean energy technology, we will provide and develop a market for the Asia-Pacific, particularly for Japan, with regard to hydrogen.

I believe Australia is pivoting to a new position, which is about leaning into a clean energy evolution. I'm proud that we are building jobs for our future, making sure we pivot off fossil fuels and onto a clean energy future, but this will take time, and we need to bring the Australian public with us. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw Australian businesses adapt in ways that had not previously been thought possible. In the same way, we'll see the entrepreneurial spirit of Australian businesses find new ways to succeed in the transition to a net-zero environment. These new or expanded markets will present new opportunities for Australia, both at home and with our important trading partners.

The Morrison government is clear: it's no longer about if and when we should do something; it's now about how we do it. The world has to focus on the how. Action on climate is too important, not only for now but for the future of our children and those who follow. We do not believe in avoiding the topic of how to get there. These are difficult questions and difficult solutions. The world is grappling with them, and Australia is going forward with an authentic and honest conversation with the Australian public.