Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move government amendments (36) and (38) on sheet BE242 together:

(36)  Heading to clause 355, page 442 (line 3), at the end of the heading, add “matters specified by Minister”.

(37)  Page 442 (after line 22), after clause 355, insert:

355A  Special review of carbon pollution reduction scheme to be conducted by an expert advisory committee

Scope

        (1)    This section applies if:

             (a)    after the commencement of this section, a new multilateral international agreement is signed on behalf of Australia; and

             (b)    the agreement relates to climate change; and

             (c)    either:

                   (i)    the agreement imposes obligations on Australia to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; or

                  (ii)    the agreement is specified in an instrument made by the Minister for the purposes of this subparagraph.

Special review of carbon pollution reduction scheme

        (2)    As soon as practicable after the agreement is so signed, an expert advisory committee is to conduct a review of the implications of the agreement for the carbon pollution reduction scheme.

Note:   Expert advisory committees are established under section 357.

Consultation

        (3)    In conducting a review, an expert advisory committee must make provision for public consultation.

Relevant matters

        (4)    In conducting a review, an expert advisory committee must have regard to:

             (a)    any policies of the Commonwealth Government notified to the expert advisory committee by the Minister; and

             (b)    such other matters as the expert advisory committee considers relevant.

(38)  Clause 356, page 442 (line 25), after “section 355”, insert “or 355A”.

Some parts of these amendments relate to the agreement with the opposition, but I would also note that one of the issues is not in the review because it is a ministerial direction. I would like to place on Hansard that it is the government’s commitment that we would direct the independent expert advisory committee to take into account the findings of working group 3 of the IPCC when considering appropriate caps and gateways in the first statutory review in 2014. In addition, this review that is proposed in amendments (36) to (38) enables a special review by the expert advisory committee after a new multilateral international agreement is signed on behalf of Australia and enables the expert advisory committee to conduct a review of the implications of that agreement for the CPRS. It requires that the expert advisory committee make provision for public consultation and have regard to relevant government policies and other matters it considers appropriate.