Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks again, Senator Grogan. The government's safeguard mechanism reforms that all senators will have the opportunity to vote on in the next couple of weeks are the next step to ensure that Australian industry remains competitive in a decarbonising global economy while reducing its emissions. What this means for Australians is jobs: clean, green and renewable jobs of the future—and jobs in green steel manufacturing, green hydrogen, offshore wind and other associated industries. If we get the policy settings right for business to decarbonise, we will achieve this ambition.

That's why the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry support these reforms, and 80 per cent of facilities are already covered by corporate net zero commitments. It's interesting that the parties who say they support big business aren't backing in those business groups on this point. Business knows that reducing emissions is essential to their long-term competitiveness in a global net zero economy, and that's why they're supporting the safeguard mechanism change. (Time expired)