Fatima Payman (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Wong, the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Could the minister update the Senate on how the Albanese government is working with Australia's biggest emitters to ensure they contribute a fair share towards our climate target while supporting economic growth?

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

Thank you to Senator Payman for her question. Last month, this government released the proposed reforms to the safeguard mechanism based on extensive feedback over nearly six months of consultation. These are reforms carefully designed so Australia's heaviest emitters reduce their emissions and help us to meet net zero—that's your target too—by 2050 commitments. Businesses in this country understand that reducing emissions is essential to their long-term competitiveness.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Oh, I hear them over there. Here we go! The government's reforms will ensure that all large facilities, new or existing, are required to reduce their emissions. This sends a strong message that we are serious about our net zero commitments and serious about supporting business. These are reforms that will help businesses and regional communities transform their operations with a $600 million package as part of a larger $1.9 billion Powering the Regions Fund.

But after a wasted decade in government, what are we going to see from the other side? We're going to see, yet again, the Leader of the Opposition oppose our reforms because he wants to rehash tired, negative scare campaigns. As one respected commentator noted, 'Peter Dutton is like a microwaved Tony Abbott,' reheating pathetic scare tactics and fuelling internal divisions. The question for those opposite is: are you going to look to the future, or will you just stay stuck in your own past? There are those on the other side—and I note that Mr Dutton's comments were in response to Senator Birmingham and Senator Bragg—actually urging their colleagues to listen to what the electorate said.

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

Senator Payman, first supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister update the Senate on what the response has been to these critical reforms from business and industry?

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

I thank Senator Payman for the question and the opportunity to inform the Senate and, particularly, to remind those opposite, who claim to be the party of business, just how much support there is from the business community for our changes. The BCA, the AIG, ACCI and the MCA all see safeguard reforms as essential to long-term policy and investment, which has been lacking after a decade of denial and dysfunction on the other side and which we are still witnessing. Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive of the Business Council, said last week:

What we need now is just to get on with it, what I think we don't need is major reversals.

They don't like hearing this, do they? Their constituencies are walking away from them. Andrew McKellar from ACCI is urging the parliament to get on with it and is urging a bipartisan approach. (Time expired)

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

Senator Payman, second supplementary?

Fatima Payman (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

PAYMAN () (): Can the minister update the Senate on the Albanese government's plans to reward industrial facilities that reduce their emissions, and when these reforms were first proposed?

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

The Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill 2022 will enable large industrial facilities to earn credits when they reduce their emissions below their baselines. In other words, you try and ensure that they also contribute to the net-zero target, which, by the way, those opposite have signed up to. It's a balanced scheme—effective, equitable, efficient and simple—and these are reforms that were first proposed by Mr Taylor and were a recommendation of the 2020 expert panel, which your government accepted and consulted on. What I'd suggest is that those opposite listen to their leader, who said last year, 'When you lose elections, it's important to listen and to understand the reasons why you lost.' But you can't hear. You don't want to hear, do you? I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.