Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. A fire has been burning on the World Heritage site on K'gari-Fraser Island since 14 October—that's eight weeks—destroying some 80,000 hectares, or 60 per cent of the island, and killing the wildlife that call it home. What has the Prime Minister done to provide support to help save this precious forest, its biodiversity and the animals that live there? Or is it the case that he doesn't hold a hose, so it doesn't matter to him?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's just a cheap and pathetic question coming from the Australian Greens. It's a cheap and pathetic question that tries to score a cheap political point in the face of something that is actually very serious.

Senator Watt interjecting—

Senator Wong interjecting—

Senator Wong, I'm sure that's where the supplementary questions will go, but that wasn't even the nature of this question. I've got cheap political points coming from there and from there—from all over the place. In relation to the fire on Fraser Island, category B assistance—

Senator Wong interjecting—

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

Senator Birmingham, please resume your seat. I can barely hear Senator Birmingham's answer.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Senator Wong, when you're interjecting to that degree across the table, I think it's a bit much to expect a minister to not respond in a disorderly way to a disorderly interjection, but there were lots of interjections across the table.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was saying at least you're consistent!

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to the Fraser Island fire, the government has declared a category B emergency. That results in various assistance being available for states and territories under the agreed formulation of assistance and work in conjunction with states and territories. I gather the Queensland officials have also identified the difficulties in relation to that fire. The particular difficulties are accessing the difficult terrain and the limitations that they have. Of course, the Commonwealth stands ready to assist, work and cooperate with the Queensland government where we have the resources or ability to do so. It's why the action has been taken in making the declaration already, and we will respond to any further requests that come from the Queensland government as swiftly as we can.

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

Senator Hanson-Young, a supplementary question?

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the fourth World Heritage area in Australia to experience catastrophic destruction because of climate-fuelled fires in the past two years. Why has the government done nothing to stop climate change and to protect these globally significant sites? And what are you doing to take scientific advice to act now before it's gone for good?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we have done in relation to climate change is, as a country—businesses, farmers, Australians—lead the world in many areas in terms of emissions reductions. That's what we've done and what we continue to do. As a country, we have delivered a 13 per cent reduction in our emissions between 2005 and 2018, compared with an eight per cent reduction in Japan or a one per cent in New Zealand or a 10 per cent reduction in the US. We've led in all of those cases.

As a people, as a per capita contribution, it's by far and away much greater than that. Our reductions over that period of time equate to 29 per cent on a per capita basis. That exceeds Germany at 16 per cent, Japan at seven per cent and Canada at 13 per cent. So, as a people, Australians have made contributions in reducing emissions far, far greater than the rest of the world, and in doing so have met and exceeded our commitments.

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

Senator Hanson-Young, a final supplementary question?

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The World Heritage Committee warned the environment minister over a year ago that climate change was a threat to Fraser Island. The minister failed to act, and now the island is ablaze. Where is she, where is she hiding and will the Prime Minister get her to work?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, that's the type of cheap, headline-grabbing stunt that you would expect from the Greens, no doubt to be sliced and diced for a social media video on which they can grandstand, taking cheap shots, ignoring the facts or the evidence and ignoring the efforts that are being made that I was just referencing in relation to climate and emissions reduction. They ignore all of those things just so that they can grandstand. They ignore, of course, the fact that climate change is a global challenge. Australia is doing our bit in meeting and exceeding on the commitments that we make, but it also necessitates other countries to do more, to actually reduce their emissions to the same degree that Australia has. They're the things that we will continue to work internationally to engage in while investing record sums in terms of the technology road map and transformation necessary at home as well as helping to build adaptation and resilience in crucial areas like Fraser Island. (Time expired)