Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to ask a question to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water, Minister Wong. CSIRO recently provided a fracking fact sheet in English, which was then translated in language into audio files and provided to First Nations communities. Providing this fact sheet was one of the recommendations of the Northern Territory fracking inquiry. This misleading fact sheet was produced by a CSIRO division that is partially funded by the gas industry, which includes Origin and Santos, and it stated that methane 'may' play a role in climate change, when we know that it definitely plays a role. In fact, methane is 80 times more potent than CO2, and at least 25 per cent of global warming is driven by methane from human actions.

My question is: why are fossil fuel companies allowed to fund, in any proportion, divisions of a government agency—our scientific peak body, which is expected to provide independent advice—especially regarding a controversial topic that these companies have a direct interest in?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cox, for the question. I'm sure she's not surprised to know this is not necessarily something of which I have direct, first-hand knowledge. I haven't seen the fracking fact sheet to which she has referred. But if she is referring to the partial funding that she described to CSIRO and industry partnerships, which I think has been in the media for some time, I would make the point that part of the mission of the CSIRO—which of course is an essential pillar of Australia's national science infrastructure and a great institution responsible for some enormous advances in research with very good liaison and engagement with members of the Australian community—is to work with industry.

I don't know if what the senator is complaining about or—sorry, I wasn't trying to minimise it—referencing is one of the industry partnerships. If she wants to give me more information about that I will be very, very happy to provide that. But if this is a reaction to the CSIRO working with industry, we've taken the view in government, and I did as climate minister many years ago, that it is a good thing for those at the forefront of research, both into climate science and into the response to climate change—how we deal with it—to work closely with industry. Industry has to be part of the solution not just yelled at. In fact, where we have done well as a country on energy, where we have done well as a country on renewable energy, it has been where governments and industry have worked together and the regulatory structure has incentivised industry to do the right thing.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, your first supplementary?

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First Nations communities have long stated their opposition to fracking to their land. Presenting them with this misleading information is outright offensive to their intelligence as traditional owners. Will CSIRO redo the fact sheet with accurate information about the risks of fracking for gas, including the impacts of methane on climate change, to ensure that First Nations communities are not misled and so they are able to adequately be informed of the activities that are proposed on their country?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also add to some of the answer: I understand that the member for Lingiari has raised issues in relation to the Jizera program with Minister Husic and has indicated publicly that this matter has been rectified. I will ask my office to liaise with Minister Husic's office about this issue and see if I can provide a little more information about how that was resolved. But it's just been brought to my attention that Ms Scrymgour did raise this with Minister Husic.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cox, a second supplementary question?

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When will the Labor government listen to the climate science, commit to no new coal and gas projects, and stop allowing these companies to buy social licence and continue their ventures of state capture, all the while without the free, prior and informed consent of First Nations communities?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call Minister Wong, I will say that I'm really struggling to see how that is a supplementary question. It's really up to Senator Wong whether she answers it or not.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm happy to answer as best I can. In relation to the longstanding assertion from the Greens about energy and coal and gas projects, I make the point again that I have made on multiple occasions in this place: any such approvals would be subject to existing environmental and regulatory frameworks.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no climate trigger.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know you want to get some political differentiation on this, but I would also make the point that this is not how the world deals with a global agreement to deal with climate change. The way the world deals with it is by ensuring that, over time, the use of fossil fuels and the use of technologies which are highly carbon polluting is reduced. We have signed up to an ambitious platform and we intend to deliver it. (Time expired)