Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Bill 2007 and seek leave to incorporate my speech.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

I welcome the presentation of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Bill 2007 and am pleased to endorse it to the Senate.

This Bill represents the latest in a long history of sensible, well planned and strategic steps taken by the Howard Government to address issues of climate change. It stands in stark contrast to the shallow approach of the Labor Opposition and the hyperbolic approach of the minor parties in this place.

The Liberal Party enjoys a proud history of environmental achievement, dating from our protection of the Antarctic in 1960, through the creation of Australia’s first Office of the Environment and appointment of the first ever Environment Minister. Liberal governments continued to lead on environmental measures with the protection of significant areas such as the Great Barrier Reef and Fraser Island, the banning of whaling and regulation of dumping at sea.

Upon election the Howard Government again led with the establishment of the Natural Heritage Trust, which has grown under this government to provide $5.1 billion for the protection and rehabilitation of Australia’s natural environment. This initiative was followed by enactment of the strongest environmental protection laws this country has ever seen, with passage of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

These are just some of our many environmental achievements while in office. The environmental leadership of the Howard Government owes much to the stewardship of former Senator Robert Hill, who served as Minister for the Environment from our election in March 1996 through to November 2001. I had the pleasure of working for Robert at the time of the 1996 election and, with the debate of another piece of significant environmental legislation introduced by a Liberal Government, I pay tribute to the role Robert played in our environmental achievements and particularly in the pursuit of measures to address climate change.

Contrary to the comments made by other parties in this place and elsewhere, the Howard Government has taken climate change issues seriously and acted upon them from the very moment of our election in 1996. In 1997 the Prime Minister announced a $180 million package to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, followed in 1998 by the establishment of the Australian Greenhouse Office and a further $555 million package to establish world leading systems for measuring and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions as well as minimum energy performance standards for a range of appliances and equipment.

In 2000 the Government passed the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000, which established the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target Scheme and has helped to drive the growth of renewable energy sources across Australia.

All up, this government has invested $3.4 billion to date in measures to tackle climate change and, unlike many of those countries who did ratify the Kyoto Protocol, we have enjoyed success in implementing change that puts us on track to meet our agreed emissions targets.

This is a government that has taken climate change seriously, invested in it, acted upon it and achieved results. It is a proud record that has been achieved while maintaining strong economic growth and ensuring all actions taken are in the interests of all Australians.

We are now taking new steps to implement the latest in our planned measures to tackle climate change—the introduction of an emissions trading scheme.

In my short time as a member of this parliament I am proud to have been part of a government that has proposed two significant environmental measures. The Water Act 2007, which rightly seized federal control over aspects of the management of the Murray-Darling Basin and is part of the largest investment in our river systems in Australian history, and of course the Bill before us today, which will make an emissions trading scheme possible.

I acknowledge the work of the current Minister for the Environment, Malcolm Turnbull, in pursuing these measures. This Bill, in forming our first step towards emissions trading, is a vital component of the Howard Government’s multi-faceted approach to tackling climate change. It stands as part of our initiatives to reduce emissions across the Australian economy and encourage greater efficiency, while also working with the international community towards truly global approaches to addressing climate change. The approach of this government seeks the involvement of all countries, so as to ensure meaningful global emissions reductions, and took a major step forward thanks to the Prime Minister’s leadership at the recent APEC meeting.

This Bill will establish a world leading emissions reporting scheme that will cover between 70 and 75 per cent of total emissions in Australia, or almost 100 per cent of industrial emissions and mining emissions. The coverage of this scheme is greatly extended by the incorporation of transport and other fuels as well as the inclusion of all six classes of gases identified by the Kyoto Protocol, and will see some 700 Australian companies having to report on their emissions.

Minister Turnbull outlined the importance of this legislation to the establishment of an emissions trading system in his second reading speech, stating that:

“Robust data reported under this bill will form the basis of emissions liabilities under emissions trading, and will inform decision making during the establishment of the emissions trading system, including with regard to permit allocation and incentives for early abatement action. The bill will establish a single, national framework for reporting greenhouse gas emissions and abatement actions by corporations from 1 July 2008.”

Ultimately companies emitting more than 50 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, producing more than 200 terajoules of energy or consuming more than 200 terajoules of energy will be required to report their emissions to a new statutory officer, the Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer.

This system will give Australia a uniform, national reporting framework that should facilitate the removal of duplicative arrangements developed by many state and territory governments.

The Senate inquiry into this Bill heard and accepted concerns from State Governments about their access to data and continued capacity to collect data themselves as a result of the initial draft of this Bill. I understand the Government has accepted these concerns and the legislation is being amended accordingly, but I would urge the States to, so far as is practical, utilise the data that will be obtained under this Bill and not impose additional costs on businesses by duplicating these reporting requirements.

The arrangements put in place under this legislation will begin to give effect to the recommendations of the Prime Ministerial Task Group on Emissions Trading, which has ensured the government offers clear policies to reduce emissions into the future. As part of this, the Government will take scientific and economic advice to establish a realistic reductions target next year, which will guide the operation of our trading scheme. By comparison, Labor claims to have a target, established by media release rather than science or economics, and further offers no plans to achieve its target. The Howard Government has the policies to achieve change and will ensure the targets to which Australia commits are achievable and in the interests of all Australians.

I welcome this Bill and the establishment of a world class emissions trading scheme in Australia. I am sure that such a scheme will see the market respond and adapt as needed, in order that emissions be reduced to the target levels that will be set. This market driven response highlights the economic significance of addressing climate change. It will require careful economic management, which is why the Howard Government is best placed to continue managing this important issue.

The market may respond with clean coal options, such as a carbon sink like that proposed by great South Australian company Santos in the Cooper Basin. This project, to capture and safely store carbon dioxide deep underground as the Cooper Basin oil and gas reservoirs reach the end of their useful life, has the potential to store up to 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum and up to one billion tonnes over its lifetime. This is one of the most exciting projects to be proposed in addressing greenhouse emissions and I truly hope to see it come to fruition.

Over time the market for carbon emissions will no doubt see further development of non-greenhouse gas polluting energy sources. Solar, wind or geothermal power will play a role, with the significant investment in these technologies already taking place. It may also be the case that nuclear power, which stands as the most reliable currently known base load generating alternative to coal fired power stations, could also play a role. If this proves to be economically and environmentally feasible I hope that petty, parochial politics does not stand in the way of such a development.

The challenge for addressing climate change is great. But in Australia we are already accepting our share of the global responsibility to reduce emissions and are acting to ensure such emissions are further reduced into the future. We are also acting to ensure the global response is equally as effective, otherwise our efforts will count for naught. This Bill helps to position Australia to maintain its positive, leadership role in addressing climate change. I commend it to the Senate.