George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, you must not have been in the chamber when I answered Senator Reynolds's question about Australia's ambitious and effective climate change and emissions reduction policy and emissions reduction target. Might I remind you, Senator Di Natale, that Australia commits to a reduction from 2005 levels of between 26 and 28 per cent by 2030. That puts us in the median range in terms of percentage emissions reductions of comparable economies. But, more significantly, it means that we are one of the most ambitions nations in the world in per capita terms. By achieving emissions reductions of 26 to 28 per cent off 2005 levels by 2030, Australia will achieve a per capita reduction of 52 per cent, which is the second highest per capita reduction of emissions in the OECD.

Now, Senator Di Natale, you and I both know that Prime Minister Turnbull is a person who has been very, very close to this issue throughout his political career. You and I both know that there are few if any people on either side of politics in Australia today who have a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of these issues than Malcolm Turnbull. We both know that. Mr Turnbull proudly takes to Paris on behalf of Australia the second most ambitious per capita reduction in emissions of the OECD, and that is something I think we should all be very proud of.