Fatima Payman (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have to say that I was surprised when I read this bill, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Climate Trigger) Bill 2022 [No. 2], from the Greens. Is this bill from the same Greens that blocked the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in 2009, the same Greens that voted with the 'no-alition' and instigated a decade of climate policy failure? Honestly, what a joke. I have been around this place for only a year, but I've seen enough to know that this bill is nothing more than the latest instalment of the not-so-Greens making it look like they care about environmental issues.

We all know they prefer chaos over compromise, and it's not just on climate policy. We have seen the same shameful political strategy on the Housing Australia Future Fund. It is so disheartening to see that, time and time again, the Greens are willing to politicise issues that have serious consequences for people's lives. And for what? More social media grabs on TikTok? If that's what it is, I can tell you right now that this bill is not a slay—far from it. In fact, the only thing more embarrassing for the Greens than voting with the 'no-alition' on climate policy is voting with the 'no-alition' and then introducing a bill on a climate trigger. Seriously? Given their track record, the Albanese government won't be lectured on climate policy by the Greens.

However, after a decade of inaction on climate under the previous Liberal-National government, we understand why there is significant community interest in reducing carbon pollution. And the government is doing just that. Nearly everywhere I go in my home state of Western Australia, from schools and universities to shopping centres and town halls, people of all ages are quite rightly expressing their concerns about climate change, and I'm always proud to explain the Albanese government's ambition to significantly reduce our emissions.

One of our first acts under the new Labor government was to legislate a climate target. In doing so, we enshrined in law a reduction in emissions of 43 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050, something those opposite clearly could never do. That's what happened when the Australian people voted for change. They voted in a government last year that changed the country and our climate policies for the better.

Australia has the potential to be a renewable energy superpower, but we need to end the climate wars that have been holding us back. Action on climate change is not a threat, it's an opportunity. The Albanese government recognises that opportunity and recognises that we must take strong action on climate change, and so do the millions of Australians who've installed solar panels on their roofs, who drive electric vehicles, who use public transport or who ride their bikes to work.

Australia's climate target covers all domestic emissions, including any additional emissions from new projects or activities. The government is on the right track to ensure we hit 43 per cent by 2030 and net zero by 2050. In fact, the Albanese government has implemented numerous policies and put mechanisms in place to ensure we achieve our climate target, including the safeguard mechanism, which will apply to all large facilities that have more than 100,000 tonnes of emissions each year.

There are clear risks that rushing through a climate trigger, as the Greens would have us do, would be counterproductive. For starters, it would punish new projects that may be more emissions efficient than existing projects that produce high emissions, increasing uncertainty for businesses and making it more difficult to reach our targets. If we know anything, it's that the Greens love to make it more difficult. Although the Greens will never be satisfied, I want to assure the Australian people that the Albanese government has committed to reforming Australia's environmental laws, because it's clear that they're not effectively protecting our environment and that they're not giving certainty to business either.

You only have to look at the Australia state of the environment2021 report to get an idea of the situation the former government has left us in. Our environment is in a poor state and getting worse. I'm glad that the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, has taken bold action in response, particularly through the Nature Positive Plan and the introduction of new environmental laws, in order to better protect, restore and manage our unique environment. As the minister said:

… the equation facing Australia is simple. If our laws don't change, our trajectory of environmental decline will not change either.

Rather than rush through a bill, the minister will release the new environmental laws for public consultation. These new laws will be better for the environment and better for business. They are guided by three principles: delivering better environmental protections that are nature positive; speeding up decisions, making it easier for companies to do the right thing; and restoring integrity and trust to our environmental protection system.

Under the Liberals and Nationals, our environment was deliberately and wilfully trashed. Their approach had absolutely no regard for Australia's unique environment and biodiversity.