Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, representing the Prime Minister, (Senator Cormann) to a question without notice asked today relating to the climate.

I didn't really get an answer to the actual, very clear, specific questions that I asked. I certainly got a lot of government talking points and a lot of the usual waffle, which I want to take the chance to dissect. I first asked whether, given the absolutely devastating, tragic summer that we've just had, the government now accept that we are in a climate-driven emergency—a climate emergency. The science says that. The experts say that. The community knows that. The last people to get the memo are this government. What I deduced from the series of words that came out at a rapid rate was: 'Essentially, no'. They could have just said that. We didn't get a clear answer, but I think it's very evident from the government's approach that they don't think we're in a climate emergency—because it doesn't suit their corporate donors to actually abide by the science.

The next question that I asked was about whether the government accepts the link between burning our coal and the severity of these fires. Again, all of the commentators and all of the experts—the folk who know this stuff—are saying there is a clear and obvious link. But: 'Oh, no, no, no'—we didn't get a clear answer on that one either, but apparently—'this is a global problem, so it's not really, you know, a big deal for Australia. We don't actually have to pull our weight globally. We're just a tiny contributor.' What a convenient rhetorical device. Do you hear them saying that about our sporting aspirations? Do you hear them saying that about our contribution to any other global effort—whether it's, I don't know, signing up to America to send troops to invade somewhere? No. It's a very selective use of the argument, 'Australia can't do anything; we're just small.' Again, it doesn't fly.

The last question I asked was whether or not the government accepts that its policies have us on track for more than three degrees of warming, which will inevitably result in more than three times the devastation that we are already suffering. The science tells us we've already had one degree of warming. If we are on track for more than three degrees, we're on track for at least three times as much devastation—but no, neither science nor logic will penetrate this government's rhetorical shutters.

What they do accept, though, is money from the polluters. We saw that donations data released on Monday, and what do you know? In an election year, a million bucks from big coal, big oil and big gas was donated to the two political parties that sit on the benches on the two sides of this chamber. The government took almost a quarter of a million dollars from Adani. And you know what? Adani made a donation four days before the government ticked off on the groundwater management plan for Adani. And Adani made another donation—maybe it was a thank-you donation—after that approval was issued. The facts speak for themselves. Our democracy has been sold to the highest bidder, and that bidder is the fossil fuel industry, which is turbocharging these fires and wreaking such havoc on our community.

One of the other excuses that was trotted out on behalf of the Prime Minister was: 'If Australia didn't export the coal, somebody else would. We're actually doing the world a favour. We're helping the environment by exporting our coal.' What an absolute load of nonsense! I'm surprised the minister could actually say that with a straight face. It's the classic drug dealer's defence.

We all know what would happen if Australia reduced and ultimately phased out its coal exports and coal usage, while supporting those communities to transition into well-paid, decent jobs in industries that have a long-term future. If we actually took that step, the coal price would be impacted. Other countries would then see, even more, how affordable and reliable renewable energy is. That trend is already happening. Boris Johnson, for heaven's sake, just made a climate announcement earlier today. If that person can see the global writing on the wall, why can this government not? What a great opportunity for our Prime Minister to have somebody else lead the way, yet again, and for him to then fall in line and finally take some action on the climate. But don't hold your breath, folks.

So in question time today we were again asking about the climate emergency. Hundreds of people are camped outside parliament this week, begging this government for action on the climate emergency, begging this government to show some leadership and to step up and protect our shared future, to protect nature and to protect people. But money talks in this place. We had a question. We got no answers. We hope to finally see some action from this government—and, if we don't, they just need to get out of the way.

Question agreed to.