Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Deputy Prime Minister, Senator McKenzie. Mr Morrison said yesterday in House question time:

The government's decision on the government's commitments for Australia in relation to COP26 will be made by the government in cabinet.

When was the Deputy Prime Minister first told by Mr Morrison that he intends to move ahead with net zero by 2050 with or without the support of the Nationals party room?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much for your question. As has been made very clear by the Deputy Prime Minister and by National Party MPs and senators, we are going through our own internal processes to assess any commitment by the government towards net-zero 2050, and, in a respectful, calm manner, we shall make those views known to the Prime Minister. Barnaby Joyce is in those discussions as we speak. I think for anyone to cause us to rush that decision, to actually force our hand, when the momentous nature of this decision and the far-reaching impacts of this decision on the people we were sent here to represent haven't properly been assessed is us not doing our job.

Well, it's not just us. I will take that interjection from Senator O'Neill. It's not just us. I have some quotes here. There are a couple of Labor MPs who are from the regions. Joel Fitzgibbon, a fantastic member for Hunter, who has been on the record for—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Aww!

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, please resume your seat. Senator Watt, on a point of order?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would have been on my feet a lot more quickly if it wasn't for that cord!

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Don't get tangled up, Senator Watt!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: it's not about the process the government's going through—a very specific question as to when the Deputy Prime Minister was first told by Mr Morrison that he intends to move ahead with or without the support of the Nationals party room. That's the question, not anything else. We ask that we get a relevant answer.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, please allow me to rule. Senator McKenzie has been directly relevant to the question. However, I detect you may be straying from that, Senator McKenzie. However, the bulk of her answer up until now has clearly been directly relevant, so I will remind Senator McKenzie of the question and ask her not to stray from it. But you have the call, Senator McKenzie.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Don't stray! As I said, the National Party has been very clear what we're doing this week. We're making sure that rural and regional jobs will be protected, that we can ensure that any move towards net zero 2050 will ensure that the impacts won't be borne by the people that have sent us to parliament.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! On my left!

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's actually the very essence of democracy—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pratt!

and, if those opposite actually remembered who they supposedly represent—

Senator Watt!

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the blue singlet workers in this country, the foresters, the manufacturers, the miners—I tell you what, there are only two people in your political party who are actually sticking up for those workers, and it's Joel Fitzgibbon and Meryl Swanson. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Walsh, a supplementary question?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Joyce has said:

It is correct that a decision of Cabinet is not a decision that comes to a vote or has anybody crossing the floor.

Has the Deputy Prime Minister informed his party room that the Morrison-Joyce government's position of net zero emissions by 2050 will be determined regardless of their views?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For 75 years, two political parties have come together to form a very, very strong coalition which has delivered stable, successful government more often than not—

Well, you know what? You say that, but it's a long time since you've been here. It's a long time since you've been here, and it's because the Liberal Party focuses on what they do best and the National Party focuses on what we do best, which is standing up for rural and regional Australia. And that is actually what we're doing here today. Because of that 75 years, and indeed nearly the last decade, we've seen record growth in our mineral exports, we've seen record growth in our agricultural exports, job booms in both these industries and we've seen a 20 per cent decrease in our emissions. Without your ETS, without your carbon tax, we've been driving down emissions and growing jobs. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Walsh, a second supplementary question?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan has said: 'Perhaps a decision has already been made by reports in the media. It seems like the Prime Minister is gaslighting the joint party room.' Does the Deputy Prime Minister thinks Senator Canavan is right when he says Mr Morrison is 'gaslighting'?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Okay, Matt. You've had your chance. I'm answering on your behalf! Look, I think obviously every successful partnership in life has to be a respectful one, and I think we know in the coalition that it's been a strong relationship. We need to be unified. We're best when we're unified, but we don't always agree. And this is one of those points where we have to assess the information in front of us and come to a considered position. People shouldn't be surprised about this. It is not about Albo waltzing into the Labor Party caucus and saying, 'Okay. I've done the deal. The Left says this, the New South Wales Right says that, the Victorian Left says this, Kim Carr says something else and this is going to be our position on this particular policy decision.' No. There are two independent parties here, and it may be uncomfortable— (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind all senators that we should refer to those from the other place by their correct titles.

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

Congratulations on your appointment, Mr President. My question is to Senator Birmingham, representing the Prime Minister. The EU ambassador has warned that Australia may face carbon tariffs if Mr Morrison doesn't stump up to Glasgow with strong 2030 targets—the target that actually matters. What guarantees can you provide that the Prime Minister won't walk into Glasgow with empty hands on the crucial 2030 target and, therefore, come home carrying in his luggage carbon tariffs from our major trading partners?

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

I thank Senator Hanson-Young for the question. I'm very happy to provide guarantees that the Prime Minister, as he's indicated, will travel to Glasgow. He will outline the extent to which Australia made commitments in the past, and met and exceeded our commitments in the past, across the Kyoto protocol's first and second commitment periods. He will outline how, in relation to the Paris Agreement, Australia is meeting, and is on track to beat, 2030 targets, demonstrating that, once again, as a country, we don't just talk about these things; when we make a commitment we deliver on it, and in ways that actually exceed those expectations. Our commitments that we have made to date have seen our emissions fall faster than those of Canada, Japan, New Zealand or the United States. We can demonstrate very clearly that we have made commitments, that our commitments are delivering, and that our commitments and our delivery are exceeding many of those around the rest of the world.

Importantly, the Prime Minister won't be going to Glasgow just to talk about our commitments for the future. He'll also be going to talk about our plans for how we deliver those commitments in terms of continuing to reduce those emissions in ways that have led and exceeded those of much of the rest of the world to date, as well as our plans for how we will protect the jobs in Australian communities on that journey. That is something that is all too often overlooked by those in the Greens and those opposite, who want to make the commitment first and worry about the job impacts afterwards. On this side, the Liberal Party and the National Party, working together, are seeking to address all of these issues concurrently, ensuring that we are best placed to keep reducing emissions while continuing to grow our economy and protect and support jobs in regional communities around Australia. That's what we've done through the last few years, and that's what we will continue to do successfully. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) 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

HANSON-YOUNG () (): While the minister was answering the question, we had the Leader of the National Party yell out 'Who cares?' in relation to what the EU is saying and doing. Could the minister please explain whether the Prime Minister cares what the EU is saying and what the rest of the world requires and expects when he goes to Glasgow.

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

There are many things that the Prime Minister cares about. He cares first and foremost about Australians—their safety, their security, their jobs and their economic prosperity. That's why the work we're doing as a government is putting all of those interests first. We're putting those interests of Australians first by ensuring that we follow through on our emissions reductions commitments as part of our global engagement on climate change. We're putting those interests of Australians first by ensuring that we do that in ways that back technological change and the development of things that will drive emissions down while protecting the jobs of Australians. We're putting the interests of Australians first by ensuring that we have a strong story to tell the rest of the world in terms of our emissions reductions—but also of the investment opportunities in Australia, in terms of continuing to achieve those changes, be they in areas of hydrogen or other areas of technological change that will enable us to beat that into the future. We look forward to our European friends and other global friends being partners, as they are, in that journey— (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, a second supplementary question?

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

If you don't have a plan to get out of coal and gas, you don't have a plan to reduce pollution and stop climate change. Last month, the environment minister approved four new coalmines. There are 72 new coalmines on the government's books, and 44 new gas projects. How will the Prime Minister explain this when he gets to Glasgow?

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

Australia's domestic energy market has undergone an amazing transformation, and that transformation of Australia's domestic energy market sees us having the world's highest uptake of rooftop solar in the world and having huge investment in those renewable sectors, underpinned, indeed, by our investment in Snowy 2.0 and the Battery of the Nation project. The types of projects that Senator Hanson-Young is asking about largely fuel the energy demands of other countries, of other nations. Now, as those nations make the transition, which many of them are committing to do, we will see a transition in terms of the demand for energy. That's why we are seeking to invest and to make sure we can attract those international partners—like the agreements we've signed with Japan, Korea, Germany or Singapore in relation to cooperation on new energy opportunities for the future. That's about backing those partners who may, as part of their transition, continue to draw on some of those resources projects from Australia. We want to make sure that, if they transition, when they transition, we have the alternatives in place to work with them as well. (Time expired)