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. The government signed up to the COP26 request for countries to strengthen their 2030 targets by the end of 2022. But just hours later, the government said its 2030 target was 'fixed'. Why did the Prime Minister tell the world one thing and then tell the Australian people the exact opposite?

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

The member's question is not telling the truth. The COP26 arrangement was that members were invited to look at these things, and that's all we agreed to do.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left, if they weren't interjecting, could probably hear the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

The member who asked the question has misrepresented what occurred at COP26. They can't just bend it to suit their political sledges and to try and pursue the political games they so much enjoy and love in this place. What was put forward by the member is just incorrect. We have a 2030 target and we have a plan to achieve that 2030 target. We have a 2050 target and we have a plan to achieve that target.

Those opposite don't have a 2030 target. They don't have a plan to achieve that target. They don't have a plan to achieve even their 2050 target and, as with so many things before this next election, they are a vacant space, so all the Australian people can assume is what they did at the last election, which was to have targets.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unsurprisingly, it's on direct relevance. There's nothing about alternatives in the question, and the entire answer is about alternatives.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question goes to the government's policy in relation to COP26—strengthening targets. I would ask the Prime Minister to remain relevant to the question.

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

The projection that we provided to COP26 is that we will have a 35 per cent reduction in emissions on our 2005 levels. We're already at 20.8 per cent below our 2005 levels, which exceeds so many other countries, like the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Korea and many more. The Australian achievement on reducing our emissions, particularly for economies such as ours, has occurred at the same time as we've seen the largest expansion of our LNG industry. Our government is delivering on reducing emissions but at the same time ensuring that we're seeing electricity prices fall. Our policy is about technology, not taxes. Those opposite are interested in taxes; we're interested in technology. They reject our policy, which is for technology, not taxes. That's what our policy is. They're not for that. Our policy is for people to have choices, not to be told what do to do by the government when it comes to what they want to buy and what they want to drive. That's our policy. We want choices, not mandates. Those opposite are opposing our policy. Our policy is to have a portfolio of technologies, whether it's hydrogen or carbon capture, use and storage. We want to see the funds from ARENA and other important government programs that can invest in these. The Labor Party are against it because they voted against carbon capture and storage. To all of those up in the Hunter, all of those who work in the aluminium sector and all of those who work in the minerals industry, the Labor Party voted against us spending resources on— (Time expired)