Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move Greens amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 1838 together:

(1) Schedule 1, item 3, page 4 (after line 10), after subsection 42-1(1), insert:

(1A) The strategy must not be inconsistent with *Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

(2) Schedule 1, item 11, page 15 (after line 15), after the definition of Australia's Economic Accelerator program information, insert:

Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets means:

(a) if:

(i) Australia's current nationally determined contribution was communicated in accordance with Article 4 of the Paris Agreement in June 2022; and

(ii) that nationally determined contribution has not been adjusted in accordance with paragraph 11 of Article 4 of the Paris Agreement;

the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets set out in paragraphs 10(1)(a) and (b) of the Climate Change Act 2022; or

(b) in any other case—the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets included in:

(i) Australia's current nationally determined contribution communicated in accordance with Article 4 of the Paris Agreement; or

(ii) if that nationally determined contribution has been adjusted in accordance with paragraph 11 of Article 4 of the Paris Agreement—that nationally determined contribution, as adjusted and in force from time to time.

Paris Agreement means the Paris Agreement, done at Paris on 12 December 2015, as amended and in force for Australia from time to time.

Note: The Agreement is in Australian Treaty Series 2016 No. 24 ([2016] ATS 24) and could in 2023 be viewed in the Australian Treaties Library on the AustLII website (http://www.austlii.edu.au).

As I flagged in my second reading speech, these amendments are to ensure that the accelerator advisory board's research commercialisation strategy cannot be inconsistent with Australia's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. These are important to ensure that this significant new funding program cannot be used to fund research that could put our emissions reduction targets at risk, and to make sure that the strategy remains consistent with Australia's greenhouse gas emissions targets. I commend the amendments to the Senate.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to indicate that the government is committed to its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. We believe the proposed amendment is sensible and highlights that commitment from the government, so we will be supporting it.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition will not be supporting it.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 1838 moved by Senator Faruqi be agreed to.