Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Last night, the budget did not mention global warming once, not a peep. The Treasurer's speech completely ignored it. The budget papers ignored it. There was not a peep about the tens of thousands of jobs that come with the transition to a clean economy; not a peep about the tens of thousands of jobs that rely on a healthy Great Barrier Reef.

It is a simple question. Your government says that it has an economic plan that is good for jobs, good for growth. How can you be serious about having a plan for jobs and growth when you are not just silent but you are actively preventing the transition to a clean economy, which is the best prescription for jobs and growth?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale, you are wrong. You are wrong when you say the budget did not mention climate change. You are quite wrong. It is true to say that the term was not used in the budget speech. The budget speech, Senator Di Natale, is not the budget. Your assertion that it is not mentioned in the budget papers, that large body of documentation that supports the budget, including the portfolio budget statements, Senator Di Natale, is wrong.

If I can direct you, Senator, to the portfolio budget statements for the Department of the Environment and the supporting documents in relation to the Department of the Environment, which is the lead department, as you know, in relation to this area of policy, you will see plenty of mention of the issue. Might I remind you, Senator Di Natale, since you assert in your question—again, wrongly—that the government has done nothing in relation to the matter that it is not the first time I have had to remind you, Senator Di Natale, that we took to the Paris climate change conference one of the most ambitious emissions reduction targets in the entire word—a reduction of 26 to 28 per cent of 2005 emissions by 2030 and, Senator Di Natale, as you are aware, as the regulator has reported, Australia is well in excess of its targets at the moment. That is a per capita reduction of emissions, Senator Di Natale, of 52 per cent. Perhaps, Senator Di Natale, you could equate the Senate with what other countries are proposing an emissions reductions target equivalent to a per capita reduction of 52 per cent in compliance with their Paris obligations.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. In last night's budget speech, the Treasurer said:

We will not be able to rely on our natural advantages in resources to secure the jobs of the future like we have in the past.

Yet, in the budget, the Treasurer announced that they are giving $110 million to survey the country to help mining companies develop greenfield sites, yet taking out $1.3 billion from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency—with the support of the Labor Party, it must be said. How does that square up?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again, you seem to dwell on this false antithesis between support for the Australian mining industry and support for the environment. It was the same error that was made by Senator Waters in a question she asked me earlier in the week.

We, on the government side, Senator Di Natale, believe that you can have a prosperous, thriving and environmentally responsible mining and coal industry, and a well-cared for environment at the same time. You in the Greens, Senator Di Natale, do not. Nowhere is the falsity of that antithesis more obvious than in my own state of Queensland where we have, with the Great Barrier Reef and the other great environmental sites, a well-cared for environment that is well regulated and, at the same time, we have a mining industry, which would be a more thriving industry, if people like you got out of the way and let it develop. (Time expired)

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I am looking forward to learning about what a false antithesis is, but anyway. The government talks a lot about innovation and incubating good ideas, but last night's budget was more like a microwave than an incubator, reheating a whole lot of old infrastructure commitments. Why won't the government commit to funding productive infrastructure like the clean energy technology we need to create jobs and investment rather than giving tax cuts to billionaires?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, Senator Di Natale, once again, this is the third time out of three questions you have based your question on a false premise, because that is the very thing the government does do. It does it, for example, through the renewable energy target that will lead to 23.5 per cent of Australian electricity being sourced from renewable energy by 2020.

The government, for example, in pursuit of the renewable energy target announced as recently as 8 April that we would be proceeding with the $400 million White Rock Wind Farm; on 10 February that the Powering Australian Renewables Fund would target 1,000 megawatts of renewables and attract up to $3 billion of investment; and on 18 February the announcement that our electricity companies would meet their renewable energy targets, because of the support, through public investment, provided to them by the Australian government. (Time expired)

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. I ask will the minister advise the Senate how the budget will help young Australian job seekers.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back for his question. Those of us on this side of the chamber believe that the best form of welfare is a job, and that is why we are investing $840.3 million over four years in a youth employment package. This youth employment package is going to give young people employability skills and real work experience to get them a job.

Encouragingly, as we know, the youth unemployment rate has decreased to 12 per cent, but this is still unacceptably high and we recognise that more needs to be done. What our youth employment package will do is help young people to become more competitive in the labour market by giving them the employability skills that employers want; opportunities for work experience, which, based on feedback, are often lacking; and of course the ultimate aim of the youth employment package is to ensure that our youth move from welfare into work.

The package is going to deliver a new Youth Jobs PaTH to prepare our youth, to give them the opportunity to have a trial and then of course we hope to move into employment to be hired. The employability skills training is going to be co-designed with a range of employers and it will help young job seekers, who often do not even have basic skills or understand the behaviours expected by employers of them, in the recruitment process and in the workplace. Then they can undertake an internship. This is so important because, based on evidence, it has shown that internships actually assist our young people in getting into a job. Then of course we are going to work with employers so they can access a wage subsidy in the event that they hire the employee. This is all about getting our young Australians ready, giving them a go and getting them a job.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for her answer and ask if she can advise the Senate how the Youth Jobs PaTH will help young job seekers become job ready.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, it is all about preparing, trialling and hiring—getting our young people job ready, because so often they are not, giving them a go, getting them into that real-life work experience and, of course, ultimately, getting them a job.

Again, on this side of the chamber, we believe the best form of welfare is a job and, as the Minister for Finance has said, this is an economic plan for Australia that is all about jobs and growth.

The delivery of the employability skills training is going to mean that young job seekers will possess the values, the behaviours and the skills that employers expect in their employees. The internship is going to give these young people an opportunity to get their foot in the door of an employer. It is going to boost their chances of getting into the job market and, ultimately, it is going to give them the opportunity to get a job.

Christopher Back (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate how the government will provide incentives for employers to employ young Australian job seekers?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The internships will give the employers the opportunity to help the job seeker to develop their skills and to test their suitability for future employment. Employers will receive a $1,000 up-front payment for hosting the internship. The internship placement will run for between four and 12 weeks, depending on how long the intern needs to be there, and it will be voluntary for both the job seeker and for the business. Job seekers will continue to receive their income support, but they will also get an additional $200 a fortnight in an incentive payment. Those employers who then decide to offer the job seeker a paid job will then have the option of accessing the youth bonus wage subsidy of up to $10,000 over six months.

Again, this is a government that is going to get our youth ready, is going to give them a go, and then ultimately get them a job.