Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

LLAGHER (—) (): I thank Senator Grogan for the question and also for her strong advocacy in the area of climate policy over many years. At the last election, the Australian people voted, undeniably, for action on climate change. The Albanese government has a mandate to deliver this climate action, and I welcome the fact that we have been able to secure additional parliamentary support for the safeguard mechanism reforms.

After a decade of inaction from those opposite—that's right, they created the problem, hid the problem and then were opposed to any solutions—we can finally put Australia on a credible path to achieve net zero by 2050. Just remember that those opposite agree with net zero by 2050; they just can't agree with any credible path to get there. The safeguard mechanism, as agreed by a majority of this chamber later this week—and we are deeply appreciative of the work that has gone in from crossbench members, in working with us, including the Greens party, Senator Pocock, Senator Lambie, Senator Tyrrell and Senator Thorpe, who have worked collegiately, as is required by this chamber, to land in a sensible outcome. It really is for those opposite to explain why they dealt themselves out at the earliest opportunity, without even having a discussion.

This passage of the safeguard mechanism bill will allow policy certainty for the first time, after 22 failed energy policies. They announced 22 and couldn't deliver one of them. Business and investors have been after this policy certainty for some time. The jobs, the new industries and the opportunities that will come from having a credible path to net zero should not be underestimated by this chamber, and I thank those who have engaged willingly with the government on these negotiations.