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

I thank Senator Faruqi for her question regarding the media comments of the former President of Kiribati. I note the comments. I haven't read the opinion piece in full, but I have heard some commentary in relation to it, and obviously, Senator Faruqi, you have quoted from it to a degree.

What I would say in that regard is that our government certainly takes our engagement with the Pacific island family of nations very, very carefully and importantly in terms of the approach we take, including on issues of climate change that we know are of very real and genuine concern to our Pacific island family. It is why we have taken every possible step to ensure that, time and time again, when we as a country make commitments in relation to emissions reductions, we meet those commitments and exceed those commitments. It's why, unlike some other nations, we haven't sought to outsource activities in relation to the meeting of those commitments either. Indeed, yesterday I gave some figures to Senator Waters about Australia's rate of emissions reduction relative to other countries that have not achieved comparable rates. Those countries, generally speaking, when it comes to meeting their Kyoto 1 or Kyoto 2 obligations, rely upon international credits purchased elsewhere to be able to offset the emissions within their own country. In Australia, through our work over many years and through the technological change and investments that have occurred across the Australian economy, we have been able to meet and exceed the targets that we have set. And it's through that continued investment in relation to technology that we will continue to meet and exceed our targets, and build upon those targets in a way that also protects Australian jobs and, indeed, job opportunities for the many Pacific island workers who come and enjoy opportunities in Australia too.