Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak in favour of these pieces of legislation, and I want to put squarely on the record right from the beginning that it is because the Greens have worked constructively that we have been able to improve and strengthen these pieces of legislation so they are acceptable. Forty-three per cent is nowhere near where we need to go if we are to reduce and cut pollution to save this fragile planet. It is nowhere near where we need to go if we are to give our children a future which they can rely on, a safe climate, clean water, healthy air and clean, safe food. But it is, now we have strengthened this bill, a step forward in the right direction.

What we now need is to put in action the things that will drive pollution down, that will cut pollution. We often talk about carbon pollution during this debate. That is true. But there is also a huge amount of urgent work to do to cut methane in this country and across the world, and it is why Australia must sign the methane pledge. The big gas companies are getting away with secretly polluting the atmosphere even more than is being recorded, and it needs to stop. The big gas companies and gas industry need to be held to account for their toxic contribution to the climate catastrophe because of leaking methane. The International Energy Agency, the UN and even the Pope have called on governments right around the world to stop funding the expansion of new fossil fuels. They have called on governments to stop subsidising fossil fuels and allowing their expansion. I want to acknowledge that even earlier this week one of Australia's leading businessmen, Twiggy Forrest, called for a halt and a stop to the expansion of fossil fuels and fossil fuel subsidies.

The rest of the world get it, and they've been waiting for Australia to catch up. The climate has changed. Climate change is here: the bushfires, the floods and the droughts not just in our own country but right around the world. All we need to look at is the 33 million people displaced and impacted by the terrible, deadly floods in Pakistan over recent weeks. Europe has been in the grips of a heatwave this summer, and we are already hearing state governments in our own country being briefed about the fire risk of the coming summer here. Our wildlife and our environment are suffering, and for years the community has been waking up and demanding action from our government to take seriously the threats of this climate catastrophe and to do what is needed. The business community have been far ahead of the parliament in recent years, much further ahead in wanting to tackle the climate challenge than previous governments. Well, now we have an opportunity to pass through this place this week a commitment not only that we acknowledge that climate change is happening but that we have to do something about it, and that something means cutting pollution.

What this bill doesn't include is the mechanisms by which we get there. We need a climate trigger in our environment laws to stop the expansion of big new projects that are going to continue to make climate change worse. We have a huge task in front of us to cut the amount of pollution that is currently being created, a huge task, but one we must tackle, in fact our survival as a community and a species requires us to tackle. But how on earth will we cut the amount of pollution currently being created while opening up avenues for more pollution to be created? You don't put out the fire by pouring petrol on it. A climate trigger in our environment laws is needed in this country to stop the expansion of those polluting projects that are going to make it harder and harder and harder for us to deal with climate change.

Debate interrupted.