Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

It's interesting to hear from the Labor government that they consulted a wide range of stakeholders during this bill. From what I can see, the only stakeholders that they have listened to are their fossil fuel donors. The only stakeholders that they have listened to are Woodside, Santos and INPEX. I think Senator Pocock is right and Senator McKim is right. This is embarrassing and it is outrageous. As the world burns, as young people every single day are looking at a future that is becoming bleaker and bleaker for them, here we are greenwashing and basically greenlighting more fossil fuel and exacerbation of the climate crisis.

On Friday I asked Senator Penny Wong why the Labour government would not end new coal and gas, and I must say there were assertions made during that response about my strong push for climate action being disingenuous. I forcefully reject those assertions. For me it is not about being right but about doing what is necessary, and the truth of what is necessary is staring us in the face. The truth of the impacts of climate change are staring us in the face. Even the Labour government admits that while they're offering refuge to those people from Tuvalu who will be displaced by the climate crisis. Even they admit that, but they're not actually willing to act to stem that climate crisis.

It's necessary to take strong action on climate change and not exacerbate it. Hundreds of scientists and experts are telling us that it is necessary. We have irrefutable evidence in front of us that the world has experienced the hottest 12 months ever on record, and it really does blow my mind that the Labor government and Senator Wong won't even admit the role the Global North has played in the climate crisis through unfettered extraction and the use of resources and fossil fuels, which has brought us to this point undeniably. This is not about pointing fingers but about accepting the responsibility for what countries like Australia have done. That's what it is about. It's about accepting responsibility for our actions and acting then to repair the damage that has been done.

The reality is that climate related disasters are increasing in frequency and severity, with the Global South paying the price. The reality is that Australia, disgracefully, remains one of the biggest exporters of fossil fuels and continues to have one of the world's largest per capita footprints. We know that our neighbours, who this government talks about so lovingly—our Pacific neighbours, the Pacific nations—are on the front line of the climate crisis. Well, do something about it. Don't push through this bill, which actually makes things worse. The Pacific nations are facing unprecedented climate disasters, and we do require the taking of strong and urgent action. And yet they have a neighbour in Australia that is refusing to end new coal and gas, which is fuelling the climate crisis—a neighbour that has contributed to so much of the climate crisis and still is refusing to take any real responsibility. The Pacific nations are staring in the face immense loss of life and a rapid collapse of access to basic survival necessities such as food and water. Hundreds of thousands of people across the Pacific will be displaced by climate disasters, and too many will die. Where is Australia here trying to do something to prevent that loss and damage? In the midst of all of this, it is pretty galling to see Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rock up to the Pacific Islands Forum with nothing more than coal in his pockets. What a shame that the Labor Party's pockets are lined with the dirty donations from the fossil fuel lobby which actually have brought us to this particular bill that we are debating now.