Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

  (a)   notes that:

     (i)   more than a million people have signed a petition to governments convening at the Rio + 20 summit calling on them to end fossil fuel subsidies,

     (ii)   the Rudd Government agreed at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh in 2009 to phase-out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that cause wasteful consumption,

     (iii)   similar language is being inserted into negotiating text at the Rio conference, and

     (iv)   the Government has acknowledged that fossil fuel producers benefit from economy or sector-wide concessions; and

  (b)   calls on the Government to explain how providing concessions to fossil fuel producers is consistent with pricing greenhouse gas pollution, efforts to tackle global warming, the G20 agreement, the intent of the Rio + 20 negotiating text, and measures to build a clean energy economy.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a brief statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia has met its responsibilities under the G20 commitment to rationalise or eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption. We took a considered and thorough approach to developing our response and concluded we had no measures within the scope of the G20 commitment. Six other G20 countries also do not think that they have any fossil fuel subsidies that fall within the scope. No further work is expected in relation to the commitment by Australia.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Milne be agreed to.