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

Senator Di Natale, with all due respect to Professor Clive Hamilton, I doubt his resignation from the Climate Change Authority is going to increase the temperature, any more than I think his continuation as a member of the Climate Change Authority was going to reduce the temperature. Nevertheless, I have been advised that Professor Hamilton has resigned as a member of that authority. But I point out that his appointment was due to expire on 30 June in any event. So the departure of Professor Hamilton from the Climate Change Authority has brought the matter forward by some 4½ months. He has served on the Climate Change Authority since 2012.

I am aware as well that Professor Hamilton has expressed some very, very strong views on the issue of climate policy. We on this side of the chamber welcome all views on this important issue of public policy. We welcome all views, including the views of Professor Hamilton. We welcome the views of people we agree with and we welcome the views of people we disagree with, because that is the way policy and legislation should be formed in a liberal democracy. The fact is, Senator Di Natale—as you should know—that as a result of our signature to the Paris climate change convention Australia has adopted, per capita, the most ambitious emissions reduction targets in the world. And Australia is on track to meet its emissions reduction targets. So, Senator Di Natale, we do not believe, as you do apparently as a matter of ideology, that renewable energy—