Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I inform the Senate that the President has received the following letter, dated 4 September 2023 from Senator McKim.

That the government has already approved five new coal projects this year despite the International Energy Agency's warning that we must immediately stop approving new coal projects if we are to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Is the proposal supported?

More than the number of senators required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

This morning my home state of Queensland woke to the news that even though we are only at the start of September the Darling Downs, the Granite Belt, Maranoa and Warrego are facing catastrophic fire danger. The Bureau of Meteorology reports that temperatures are six to eight degrees above average today. Six to eight degrees above average is terrifying but what do we see from the Albanese government? The fifth new coal mine approved just last week.

The Black Summer bushfires that devastated the eastern states started off much the same way in 2019. Back then the Greens moved for the parliament to declare a climate emergency and Labor voted with us. At the time, in opposition, Mr Albanese he said that Labor would set their emissions targets in accordance with the science. Well, how times have changed. While our planet is boiling, Labor's climate policies are undercooked. Australia's winter of 2023 was the warmest since official records began in 1910. In the northern hemisphere, July 2023 was the hottest month on record as heatwaves scorched Europe and North America, and Greece continues to battle wildfires.

But back to the Australian environment minister: she's just approved a fifth new coal project in my home state of Queensland. It will run until 2073. I thought we were meant to be at net zero by 2050. That is another 50 years of coal when the science tells us we cannot open any new coal or gas mines. If we're going to stop the world going over the climate cliff, we cannot open a single new coal project, yet the Labor government have already approved five. Labor has over 100 coal and gas projects in the pipeline. Thanks to pressure from the Greens, we saw changes to the safeguard mechanism that make around half those projects unviable, and we will keep fighting to stop the rest.

On top of the confetti of new coal approvals, Labor are continuing to budget for $11 billion of public money each year in subsidies to fossil fuel projects, in the form of cheap diesel and accelerated depreciation, including for carbon bombs like Middle Arm and Woodside's Scarborough gas project. They're also continuing to accept just under $1 million in political donations from the fossil fuel industry—in a totally unrelated coincidence! Labor's commitment to the bottom line of their major donors in the coal, oil and industry is unwavering. The temperature records keep rising, fire danger is catastrophic, and the so-called environment minister just keeps approving new coalmines. It is cooked.

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's an interesting contribution. Yes, we are looking at some pretty intense challenges across the world in terms of climate change, and let's be clear: we've had 10 years of no action—none whatsoever. But the Labor government have been crystal clear in our intentions. We have committed to and taken action on global warming after, as I say, 10 years of significant inaction, and we will continue to do so. But what we won't do is close down all fossil fuels overnight, because we have a plan to re-engineer our system rather than just destroy our economy and turn the lights out. There is another way, and that way is the way that we have chosen and that we intend to progress.

Let's not forget that it was the Greens' action 10 years ago that actively stopped any progression on battling climate change. Just imagine how much better off we would be if there had been support back then and if Labor's climate action plans 10 years ago had got off the ground. Imagine how much better off we'd be now. But no. Here we are, starting from scratch. We have the coalition over there laughing at sea level rise in the Pacific, having failed to deliver any meaningful energy policies over that very long, dark stretch of their time in government. They enabled the stagnation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and did absolutely nothing on global warming. In just one year, the Albanese government has done more for the environment, more for energy, more for water and more on climate change than we saw in that entire decade. Obviously, it's not going to be enough for my colleagues in the Greens. They are very passionate about global warming, which is great. However, there's a balance here. We have to make that transition. This is about a transition, and it needs a plan. Blindly turning off every single system in the fossil fuel chain overnight would destroy our economy. So we need a balanced, planned approach, and that's exactly what the Albanese government has done.

We started the process by looking at our emissions reductions. Senator Waters has referred to the safeguard mechanism, and we legislated that earlier this year. That has been our plan for a very long time, but when you're not in government you can't bring in those plans. We've just had to sit on the sidelines and watch the coalition government trash the country. So we have a plan, and that plan is what we are rolling out and have been rolling out for the last 14 or 15 months. We must support our economy and our environment, and our plan does just that. We've introduced a range of policies, not just the safeguard mechanism, to start reducing emissions from the highest emitters by 4.9 per cent every year. We've also legislated the emission reduction target of 43 per cent. We've doubled the rate of renewable energy approvals, because to get away from fossil fuels we need another source of energy and the renewable energy pathway is the one that is right for Australia. We've committed $2 billion for green hydrogen, another form of energy that will assist in dealing with global warming and assist in Australia turning itself into a renewable energy superpower. We've got $1.6 billion for home and small business electrification. We've got $20 billion for Rewiring the Nation. We have to get those renewables into our system so that our reliance on fossil fuels can decline. We have commenced the establishment of massive new offshore wind across the country and committed $3 billion to the National Reconstruction Fund.

All these processes are the things that are going to take us to a much better place, to reduce our emissions and to do our bit. We know that the weather is getting more intense. We are in a world of pain here. We need a plan to move forward. The Albanese Labor government has that plan, and that plan is what we are going to roll out here—to the yawns of the Greens to my right.

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a load of twaddle from both the Greens and the government. This fantastical energy plan that is being rushed is resulting in greater expenditure and taxes and no connections. I have just spent two weeks in Western Australia where I saw extraordinarily bad outcomes for resources companies. They have had to step in because of the government's failure to have any plan at all.

The Greens have come up with this urgency motion. They continue to make up numbers in this sector while ignoring the fact that it does continue to provide our energy security. The lesson of the past few months is that energy security equals national security for all Australians. It's funny, however, that the Greens reference the IEA and continue to pick out the numbers that suit their radical agenda.

Coal and gas remain necessities for energy production both in Australia and right around the world. The International Energy Agency's World energy outlook projects that total global oil, coal and gas demand will grow. In fact, the IEA confirms that coal and gas will remain an important part of the world's energy mix decades into the future, with coal remaining the single-largest source of energy in 2040. That means that coal and gas will play a vital role in Australia's energy mix for the foreseeable future.

We can see in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales the emerging issue of energy supply security and affordability. All three states are expected to have energy shortfalls over the next three years. AEMO is warning of blackouts and brownouts over this summer, which is a burning issue, as reliable power is turned off without proper planning from this government. Coal-fired power makes up 75 per cent of our average national electricity generation and gas makes up 16 per cent of that generation and is a vital firming source in winter. We simply cannot afford to cut out new coal and gas developments. Australia has a choice. Do we adopt the European model of outsourcing our energy needs or do we adopt the US model and become an energy independent nation, using our own reserves? Continuing energy shortages and spiralling energy costs are the result of policies forcing out reliable and affordable energy in favour of intermittent energy sources. That's what the Greens want to foist on Australian households and businesses—soaring energy costs and unreliable supply.

Australia's high-quality coal and gas will play an important role, not only domestically but in other countries around the world. That is why the coalition is committed to supporting our coal and gas industries to supply Australia's high-quality resources to export markets to help lift millions out of poverty, as well as to provide cheap, reliable electricity to industry and families across Australia. Australian coal is some of the highest quality coal in the world. We produce it more efficiently than most, meaning more energy and fewer emissions. That puts our coal and gas sectors and the thousands of Australians who work in them in prime position to benefit from the increased global demand for energy resources.

As China and India increase their demand for coal and gas, for both steel creation and energy generation, and as Japan and Korea demand more gas to fuel their transitions, it is in everyone's interest that Australia's high-quality resources are the first choice for our partners around the world. Our failure to meet those demands—to refuse to step up and be responsible—will mean those countries that need our resources turn to lower-quality, higher-emitting resources from other countries. Pause to think on that for a second, Madam Acting Deputy President. When Australia stops exporting its high-quality coal and gas, higher emissions around the world are the result. If Australia steps back, world emissions rise, and that is a bad outcome in anybody's mind.

As the middle class continues to grow, Australia's energy resources will enable people from countries in Africa and Asia to lift themselves out of poverty, unlike what's happening in Australia. It's not the Greens who stress over rising electricity bills; it's mums and dads trying to balance the household budget and figure out how to survive.

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

It's very interesting to hear from the government about the transition. I'd like to point out that when you transition you're actually moving away from something. The government are moving towards it. They are talking about transition while they expand the fossil fuel industry. This is now vandalism. They know what they are doing. They are destroying our future for the short-term profits of a fossil fuel industry who are not good-faith actors in this. The industry are betting on us not taking the climate action necessary to secure a safe future.

It is now the extremists that are demanding that we continue to expand the fossil fuel industry, that are giving subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, like the $1.5 billion for Middle Arm, to open up the Beetaloo. I have a real concern about what this is going to look like as we go forward, because currently fossil fuel companies are making bank. They are making record profits. Whilst making record profits, like at Whitehaven's Maules Creek coalmine, they're stealing water. They admitted to stealing a billion litres of water in the last drought, and they were outbidding local farmers for the water that was for sale. They're saying it's too expensive to recycle their tyres, so they're getting alterations to their licences so they can bury them onsite. Apparently, the $1.7 billion profit made by Whitehaven in the last year isn't enough to recycle tyres, so they say: 'Let's just bury them. That's someone else's problem. We're going to leave this massive hole when we go, and buried somewhere down there will be some tyres.' The next issue we're going to have to deal with is how we ensure that the major parties are taking this seriously.

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

Well, here we are again. It's another hypocritical climate change motion from the Greens. They're all about the action on climate change and the environment when it suits their political purpose and TikTok accounts, but when push comes to shove they haven't got a clue. Never forget that it was the Greens who sided with the 'no-alition' in 2009 to vote down the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. I really don't know why the Greens come in here pointing the finger after they helped instigate almost a decade of climate policy failure. I've said it once and I'll say it again: the Albanese government won't be lectured to on climate policies by the Greens. While the Greens continue to do what they do best—that is, be a roadblock to positive reform—the government will get on with the job. As the youngest person in this debate, I understand the critical importance of strong climate policy. I know it's what's needed to ensure a sustainable Australia for my generation and for those to come, and I'm proud that this Albanese Labor government is taking action.

The Greens obviously have a hard time understanding good policy, so let me spell it out for them. One of the first acts of the Albanese government was to legislate a climate target. In doing so we enshrined into law a reduction in emissions of 43 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero by 2050. This is bolstered by our safeguard mechanism, which will apply to all large facilities that have more than 100,000 tons of emissions each year. I also note that Minister Plibersek was the first environment minister in Australian history to reject a coal project, and the minister will continue to exercise her responsibilities under the legislation and consider the merits of each application on a case-by-case basis.

Make no mistake: it is the Labor government that is driving Australia's transition to renewable energy. But thanks to the noalition and the not-so-Greens, we're further behind than we should be. Those opposite refused to act on climate change for a decade. They've repealed climate laws, laughed at rising sea levels in the Pacific and announced 22—yes, 22—different energy policies, but landed none.

Overturning almost a decade of climate policy failure is not easy, but we're on the right track. The Albanese government has doubled the number of renewable energy approvals, and we now have a record of 104 renewable projects in the pipeline. In addition, we've committed to $2 billion for green hydrogen, $1.6 billion for home and small business electrification, $20 billion for Rewiring the Nation, and $3 billion for renewables and low-emission technologies as part of the National Reconstruction Fund. We've also set up a new environmental protection agency, established a massive new offshore wind project around the country, proclaimed 10 new Indigenous protected areas, legislated the nature repair market, passed stronger laws to protect the ozone layer, and funded 57 plastic recycling facilities. But, above all, we've set a clear path for net zero by 2050 without compromising the economy.

Despite this government's record achievements and the fact that the Greens enabled those opposite to launch a decade of climate chaos, they still have the audacity to come in here and point the finger at Labor and post it on TikTok. If Senator McKim wants to blame someone on his social media for climate inaction, he should just post a selfie. Seriously, calling yourself the Greens is beginning to look like false advertising. If the Greens really cared about the climate and the environment they would put an end to those cheap political stunts and get out of the way of positive and progressive reforms.

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

Labor are a bunch of reckless hypocrites on climate. Environment minister Tanya Plibersek has now signed off on five new coal projects. If we are to avert a climate collapse, there can be no new coal or gas. The science is crystal clear on that. Yet here we are. People tell me they had hope when we kicked out the climate criminals that are the Liberal-National coalition. People tell me they had hope that bold action on climate change would happen, hope that finally Labor would step up and bring some ambition to the table and act decisively as they had promised. Yet here we are.

This is a gutless Labor government, more fearful of losing their fossil fuel donations than they are of the climate emergency that we are in. Well, the last election was a climate election, and we won—the climate won—because there are more parliamentarians here who want strong action on climate than ever before. Yet here we are. Every single coal project that you approve hurtles as faster into a future where people and the planet will suffer beyond measure. We are boiling and burning, for heaven's sake. Labor is in government. Stop whingeing about the past and take some action now. July was the hottest month ever recorded on the planet. The wildfires in Canada have burned 15 million hectares of forest. We've just had the hottest winter on record in Australia. Yet the environment minister is approving new coal.

Shame on Labor for trying to greenwash their climate inaction by seeking Pacific nations' support to host COP 31. Water is lapping at their doorstops. There is a hunger crisis in Africa. Glaciers are melting in Pakistan. Wake up! No more new coal and gas.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This Greens motion complains that the government has approved five new coal projects this year, yet the government is not approving enough coal projects. We need to get these mines rolling. Australia need this government to approve coal-fired power stations. The Greens like to cherry-pick, so let's look at what else the International Energy Agency said in July:

Coal consumption in 2022 rose by 3.3% to 8.3 billion tonnes, setting a new record—

a new world record. So much for the death of coal. Instead the Greens would have Australia miss out on the tax revenue from this boom, which funds our hospitals, roads and schools and saved our economy in the last budget.

It's always important to debunk the myth of cheap wind and solar in these debates. Today we have the highest proportion ever of wind, solar and batteries in the grid—more accurately known as unreliables, not renewables. Just ask any Australian. These are facts. Our power bills have never been higher. While the government sits on its hands about nuclear, building cheap, coal-fired power is the only solution we have for the cost-of-living crisis. The UN net zero pipe dream is already sending Australians broke and, if we don't stop it now, the UN net zero nightmare will send the entire country broke. Unreliables have increased to only 36 per cent of Australia's electricity needs, and look at the damage they're already doing. If you think it's bad now, this government wanted to get it to 82 per cent in 2030. That's madness.

Meanwhile, as Australia annually mines 560 million tonnes of coal, China produces 4.5 billion tonnes, almost nine times as much, and on top of that China imports additional coal from us. I congratulate the government on approving some coal projects and criticise them for not approving more.

Before we all go broke, Australia needs more mines so we have coal on the ground, on ships, in power stations and in steam wheels, serving humanity.

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

Another day, another coalmine approved by the Labor Minister for the Environment and Water. It's extremely disappointing to see this government, who came into power off the back of a climate election, an environment minister who hand on heart says this is the moment she is going to take to save and look after the environment, day after day after day, every time there's a coalmine on her desk for approval, giving it a great big tick. Every time the environment minister approves a new coalmine, an expansion of a mine or a new gas well, every time the environment minister approves new coal or a new mine, it makes it harder to save the Murray River. Every time environment minister gives the tick to a new coalmine, it makes it harder to save the Great Barrier Reef. Every time the environment minister gives the tick of approval for expanding coal and gas, the threat of Australia's bushfires grows worse.

We are heading into another dry, hot season. Australians are already terrified of what this summer will bring. Rather than doing everything possible to stop making the climate crisis worse, to stop fuelling these climate fires, the environment minister is giving her big tick to new coal and gas. Our environment laws are broken. The whole point of the environment minister is to protect and stand up for the environment, and yet here we have the environment minister doing the work of the big coal and gas companies and giving them approval time after time after time.

I know that so many on this side of the government wish that wasn't happening. They know it's wrong, but they are fearful of change.

It is time to understand, to listen to the scientists, to heed the advice of the world's energy organisations. We can't get the climate crisis under control while we keep making the situation worse. Over and over again, the experts tell us that politicians must stop expanding the fossil fuel industry. It is time to stop pouring fuel on the fire. We need the transition and we need to start protecting our environment.

Ralph Babet (Victoria, United Australia Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If Australia stops approving new coal projects, we will not change the weather—far from it. Of what benefit is the blind pursuit of net zero if it destroys jobs, reduces state and federal government revenue, devastates country towns and lowers our quality of life? The mining industry, overall, generated $455 billion of export revenue last year. That is almost two-thirds of all export revenue for our nation. How would we pay for the NDIS? How would we pay for social security? How are we going to fill the budget black hole? You can't pay the bills with virtue, unfortunately, because if you could, we'd be paying for it many times over, from what I have heard from the people opposite. If the Greens get their way we will all be broke and, unfortunately, we'll all be living in the dark. Thank you.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I rise to speak to this matter of public urgency the southern part of my home state of Queensland is on a catastrophic bushfire alert. 'Catastrophic' is the highest level of warning that can be issued by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services in anticipation of uncontrollable fires. Twenty-one aircraft as well as firefighters across the state are on standby, and firefighters have this morning been battling a grassfire on the Southern Downs. Just last year, Brisbane saw its second once-in-a-century flood in the space of a few years. For decades, scientists have warned us of the dire consequences of the continued burning of fossil fuels, with successive Labor and coalition governments pushing off the necessary action into the never-never.

We have crossed over from global warming into global boiling. The opening of new coal projects is nothing less than genocidal. The Albanese government is co-signing destruction while swanning about in Rio Tinto merchandise. We should be throwing the kitchen sink at this before we get to the non-stop catastrophic extreme events, before we get to the permanent destruction of our biodiversity and before we get to the loss of millions of lives. Yes, we should be throwing the kitchen sink at this, but instead, the Labor government is continuing to pour fuel on the fire.

The fringe-dwelling deniers are easy to ignore, but we can't excuse those who know better—those who have seen the impacts of climate catastrophes and yet have decided to back-in the opening of more coal mines. Every new coal mine is a nail in our collective coffins, and that is unconscionable.

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 the motion moved by Senator McKim be agreed to.