David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a question to the Minister representing Minister for the Environment and Water, Minister Watt. Australia is a world leader in many things that we celebrate, but one international title we have is a source of global shame, and that is our status as a world leader in species extinction. Over the past 200 years our actions have sent one in 10 of our native mammals extinct. By comparison, the US, which has a similar landmass, has lost just one species. If we don't act now, current and future generations of Australian children may never have an opportunity to see a numbat or a regent honeyeater or a northern quoll. In October last year the government committed to ending extinctions. Will the government commit to backing up this commitment with enough investment to ensure that this actually happens?

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

I believe Senator Wong is the correct repping minister, so I've given her the call.

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

Thank you to Senator Pocock. He is correct that we are a country, a nation, that has one of the worst extinction records in the world. We have one of the worst mammal extinction records in the world. Obviously, we have seen land and water degradation which has an effect not just on humans but on our many animal and plant species. I know that the Minister for the Environment and Water has been very clear about the importance of working towards zero extinctions. This has been endorsed by every state and territory.

As part of that we are investing in excess of $200 million in the Saving Native Species program. We have put in place a new threatened species action plan which sets ambitious targets, seeking to protect 30 per cent of our land and seas by 2030. Critically, we are looking at reform of the environmental legal framework. Senator Pocock would be familiar with the Samuels review into the EPBC Act. Ms Plibersek is taking forward the process to reform those to protect, restore and manage native habitats. The Australian Conservation Foundation, ACF, has welcomed the government's new threatened species objective and made the very important point that extinction is a choice, and we need to choose a better path. We need to change the trajectory for the range of threatened species and their habitats, and certainly the government, particularly Ms Plibersek, is focused on doing so

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

Senator Pocock, first supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome the government's commitment and would point out that this will require significant investment. In fact, in 2019, 13 of Australia's most eminent environmental scientists looked at the question of how much it would take to do exactly that, to halt extinctions. The figure then was about $1.7 billion per year. Does the government accept the overwhelming scientific evidence that we need significantly more investment in this area?

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

I would make a point, if I may, about funding, and one of the things that I certainly learnt as finance minister, and I'm sure Senator Gallagher is managing, is that there are very few requests for spending which are not worthy. There are some—we saw some under the previous government.

Opposition Senator:

An opposition senator interjecting—

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

Maybe a few of the sports rorts might have been a bit of a problem. But anyway. We have completely legitimate requests for expenditure in environment, in climate, in energy and in social security—in whole range of areas, including First Nations policies, health, Medicare, PBS, National Disability Insurance Scheme. All of these are matters—

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the longest way of avoiding the question!

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

I'm making a point about—I'm surprised that the shadow minister for finance wouldn't like me to talk about opportunity costs, given that is the heart of the job you have to do, the heart of the job you're supposed to be doing. (Time expired)

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

Senator Pocock, a second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question really is about funding, though. Will the government match ambition with action, and with a shortfall of some $1.6 billion, at the moment, does the government have a plan for which species you're going to select to not go extinct and which we should just let go extinct?

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

I understood, very well, what you were asking. I was making the point that there are many areas of investment, particularly after 10 long years of those opposite investing in so many of the wrong things and so few of the right things. The process of considering not just this area but the many areas that demand funding, as well as the structural deficit that the finance minister has spoken about, obviously will be something the government will consider in the course of the budget.

You would well understand—I appreciate that as an independent senator your job is to represent your constituents, and I'm sure that includes pushing the government to do more. But what I would say to you is we recognise this is a very important area; we are committed to getting this into a much better shape than it was, and Ms Plibersek has done an extraordinary job in the last months to do so, but there is much— (Time expired)