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. Morrison government MPs have asked the Prime Minister to fund chaplains in every school to allay young people's concerns about climate change. Minister, does your government seriously believe that climate experts and activists are robbing children of hope? Is it your government's view that the best way of dealing with climate concerns is with religion and prayer?

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

[by video link] I thank Senator Hanson-Young for the question. As far as I'm aware, Senator Hanson-Young was not in the coalition party room yesterday and did not hear the type of comments that were being made. I can tell her—through you, Mr President—that she is completely misguided in the way in which she is characterising those remarks.

It is certainly true that coalition members and senators have expressed their strong support for a program that provides assistance to young people in terms of navigating the many challenges of life, but particularly at these times when we see enormous additional stresses as a result of COVID-19 being placed on many young people in the environments in which they're studying and seeking to move ahead. So many young Australians have missed out on the traditional rites of passage on normal activities they'd go through in their schooling lives. This has created enormous additional stresses and pressures. The work of teachers, educators, schools chaplains, psychologists, and all of those supporting young Australians through these challenging and difficult times is to be commended and, indeed, supported in terms of the assistance they're providing.

Young Australians know that there are many different challenges they face in the world, but, of course, for them to individually get ahead, what's most important for them is to receive the opportunities of education and employment. As a government, our focus very clearly is on delivering those opportunities. When it comes to tackling climate change, as you raised, Senator, it's about making sure that we tackle it in ways that don't hurt the opportunities for young Australians to get a job. A 'technology not taxes' approach to tackling climate change is about ensuring Australia's economy transitions in ways that give young Australians the best possible opportunity to still get a job, to still live in a country with one of the best living standards in the world, but to do so while we drive ourselves towards the ambition of net zero emissions. That's the best pathway forward to give hope and opportunity to young Australians—to give them a job and to give them the support that can give them the confidence to succeed. We're proud of the government to have created so many jobs— (Time expired)

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

The US, the UK and the world's leading scientists are pleading with the Australian government to commit to a stronger 2030 target ahead of the COP summit in Glasgow in November. Will you be sending chaplains to Glasgow to allay the concerns of world leaders?

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

(—) (): [by video link] The Greens come in and pretend that they want us to take issues seriously and then feed up drivel like that. The reality is that we're going to Glasgow with some very strong messages. We'll go to Glasgow with the strong message that Australia, in terms of our Kyoto 1 target and our Kyoto 2 target, has met and exceeded those targets; that, unlike many countries in the world, when we've made a commitment, we've delivered upon it. We'll go to Kyoto with firm policies that we've outlined in terms of our investment in renewable energies, our investment in other technologies, but, crucially, the stretch goals that we've outlined that don't just talk about achieving net zero but talk about how to get to net zero—how to get to net zero through investment in hydrogen, how to get to net zero through investment in low emission steel and low emission aluminium and how to get to net zero through investment in soil carbon. We'll be going to Glasgow with very clear policies, very clear plans and a track record that, frankly, exceeds that of many of the other countries around the world. (Time expired)

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

Will the government rule out funding more chaplains as a way of dealing with young people's legitimate climate concerns and instead put a halt to the expansion of fossil fuels and develop a proper 2030 target? Or is your government's new policy on climate change 'thoughts and prayers'?

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

[by video link] The pre-scripted question there from Senator Hanson-Young was no doubt designed to be distributed on her social media platforms—not listening at all to the answers that I've given today. The answers I've given today outline exactly what we intend to take to Glasgow in terms of our ambitions to drive towards net zero but, more importantly, our plans and our track record. These are plans and a track record that show Australia doesn't just make vague promises; Australia delivers on our promises. Australia is investing as a nation, in terms of investment that sees us have investment in renewable and rooftop solar at rates far and above much of the rest of the world and in terms of investment by government in the technology changes that will drive us forward as a country while preserving the job opportunities for young Australians. That is what the Greens should be caring about: getting that mix right. That gives us a low emissions pathway but also ensures young Australians can still have the job opportunities that our government has delivered in record numbers. We have seen, as I said earlier today, a million jobs generated recently, and our aim is for many more. (Time expired)