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

I thank Senator Waters for her question. Indeed, I do acknowledge the 2030 targets are crucial. This side of the chamber has a 2030 target. That side of the chamber does not have a 2030 target, I would note. I certainly agree that 2030 targets are crucial and that our government has outlined very clearly a 2030 target of a 26 to 28 per cent reduction against 2005 levels.

I think it's instructive for us to look at how Australia's achievement in emissions reduction compares with 2005 levels. Our emissions are down 14 per cent compared with 2005 levels. What's the OECD average by comparison? It's nine per cent. So: Australia, 14 per cent; the OECD average, nine per cent. Indeed, across a number of other countries: the United States are down 10 per cent, a smidgeon above the OECD average, even including during President Trump's time in office, says Senator Waters; Canada are down 0.1 per cent; New Zealand are down one per cent; Japan are down eight per cent. Different countries are tracking at different levels in terms of emissions reductions, but Australia can be proud of the fact that we have made commitments in Kyoto 1 and in Kyoto 2 and we've exceeded those commitments. In exceeding those commitments, we have well and truly exceeded the OECD average for emissions reduction over that period of time. So, when our government makes a 2030 commitment, as we have done in the Paris Agreement, what we've done is commit once again to actually achieve and ideally exceed, as we have done time and time before. That's the approach we've taken in our time in office, to make commitments and to honour them through domestic emissions reductions, which we've done above the global average. And in getting those reductions we intend to continue to honour our commitments.