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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the New South Wales (NSW) Government has released a plan to transition to renewable energy, including through the creation of renewable energy zones, support for solar and wind power projects and the development of new transmission capacity,

(ii) the NSW Government has a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, and

(iii) the Federal Government's current trajectory has Australia meeting net zero emissions by 2300; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to commit to an urgent plan to invest in renewable energy and commit to clear and more ambitious emissions reduction targets for 2030, which global scientists have confirmed is the critical decade left in which we have to act.

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

Mr President, 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 has a track record of meeting and beating our international commitments. We've beaten our 2020 target by 459 million tonnes and we are on track to meet our 2030 target. Australians are also deploying renewable energy at 10 times the global per-person average. These are achievements Australians can and should be proud of, but climate change is a global problem requiring global action. That's why Australia has committed to the Paris Agreement. We are committed to achieving global net zero emissions as soon as possible.

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

Mr President, 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

One Nation does not support this motion. Australia's Chief Scientist stated that, if Australia were to reduce its entire carbon dioxide output to zero, it would have virtually no effect on the global temperature. It's time that the Liberal-National and Labor-Greens parties acknowledge that implementing layer upon layer of destructive climate policies and renewable energy schemes cannot change the global climate. If people were serious about reducing the world's carbon dioxide output, they would be pressuring China, which accounts for 30 per cent of the world's output and renegotiated its Paris Agreement, allowing China to increase output until 2030 and then only slow the increase. There is no agreement. Yes, you heard that right: China will be increasing its carbon dioxide output for the foreseeable future, while climate policies here in Australia decimate our economy. What's more, we are subsidising China to build the appliances that will be installed here and will raise our electricity prices. This is insane.

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

The question is general business notice of motion No. 874 be agreed to.