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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Government's climate-wrecking 'gas-led recovery' plan includes coal seam gas drilling in Narrabri and a gas-fired power plant in the Hunter region of New South Wales (NSW),

  (ii) on 30 September 2020, the NSW planning commission approved the Santos Narrabri coal seam gas project despite more than 20,000 submissions opposing it,

  (iii) greenhouse gas emissions from the Narrabri gas project are estimated to be 128 million tonnes over the life of the project,

  (iv) the gas industry creates just 0.3 jobs for every million dollars spent, and

  (v) coal seam gas drilling in Narrabri will increase carbon emissions, worsen the climate crisis, endanger farmers' livelihoods and jeopardise precious natural habitats, Aboriginal heritage sites, farmland and food and water security; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to abandon their so-called 'gas-led recovery' plan, and commit to phasing out coal and gas and making Australia a 100% renewable energy superpower by 2030.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia's competitive advantage has always been based on cheap energy, and our comprehensive plan places gas at the centre of our recovery. Gas is a critical enabler and it supports our manufacturing sector, which employs over 850,000 Australians. It's an essential input in the production of plastics for PPE and fertiliser for food production. Gas provides the firmed electricity generation we need to balance the record levels of solar and wind. It provides flexible, reliable and affordable generation. Far from competing with renewables, it complements them. Through our 2020 budget, we will ensure Australian gas is working for all Australians.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will not be supporting this. It is now 398 days since I first invited the Greens to tell me about the empirical scientific evidence that justifies their claims that carbon dioxide from human activity affects climate and needs to be cut, and they have still failed to do so; they won't debate me. Until they give me the evidence, I won't be supporting anything like this.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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