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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that 12 August 2009 marks the ninth anniversary of the United Nations International Youth Day, with the 2009 theme ‘Sustainability: Our Challenge. Our Future.’;

(b)

recognises that:

(i)

in our global challenge to tackle climate change, it is our young people, especially those in developing countries and the Pacific Islands, whose future is at stake, and

(ii)

we need a commitment to strong emission reduction targets to protect our future generations; and

(c)

calls on the Government, on International Youth Day, to commit to targets that deliver real action on climate change, and not leave our future generations burdened with mistakes of inaction.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Obviously, our colleagues in the Greens know the National Party’s position on this issue. We have a strong belief that an emissions target delivered by this government will have no effect on the global climate. Calling on the government to commit to targets that deliver real action will, I think, also have huge effects on many regional economies and would mean the decimation of everything from coal, to beef through to sheep. How that transpires will be reflected in the grocery bills of so many Australian working families. At this point in time, we are talking about a gesture that will deliver nothing in terms of bringing about an outcome that will change the globe. There is not one person who believes that something done solely by Australia will change the temperature of the globe; therefore, as a gesture, it will be no more effective than were we to all parade outside right now and apologise to the clouds. Although we do not wish to divide on this motion, we want to clearly put our intentions before the Senate. We do not support it.

Question agreed to.