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

I stand here reflecting on the answers to the questions that I asked the government today in relation to their environment policy. All I can say is what sheer, sheer disappointment. It's just so frustrating. It is so frustrating, because this government went to the last election promising the Australian people that they would act on the environment, that they would take climate action, that they would fix our weak environment laws so we could stop the extinction of our beautiful, wonderful native species and that they could protect our precious beaches and waterways—our rivers, our forests and our bush lands. But, over the course of the last 2½ years, what we've seen is the courage of this government diminish. We've seen this government's ability to stare down vested interests and lobbyists disintegrate and evaporate.

I'm not the only person who speaks of such disappointment in this government. So many Australians had higher hopes. We really wanted this government to be better. We really wanted this government to act. I stand here prepared to work with the Albanese government to put in place laws that genuinely protect nature—laws that would stop the bulldozing of our native forests and the fast-tracking of new coal and gas mines that continue to put climate-wrecking pollution into the atmosphere.

The whole point of this global environment summit that the environment minister is hosting in Sydney is that the world has recognised that we can't keep trashing mother nature. We can't keep dismissing the fragility of our environment. If we don't act on reducing pollution and protecting and restoring biodiversity, it's going to be gone before we have realised. I just want this government to be better and to do better.

Because, of course, the alternative is Peter Dutton, who does not care two hoots about the state of our nature. He doesn't care about the prospect of future generations when it comes to the climate. Most of Peter Dutton's front bench are climate deniers—they don't care! Peter Dutton doesn't want a debate in this coming election on the environment or on climate. He wants it on division and fear mongering—racism, immigration, war mongering. There's a reason that Peter Dutton reverts to type over and over again. It's because that's the only thing he has got going for him. We're left in this horrible situation where the government is so incapable of standing up for what they promised that they're now willing to do a deal with Peter Dutton, delivering what Gina Rinehart wants, what the big mining lobby want, what the logging industry wants rather than what they promised the Australian people when it came to protecting the environment and taking climate action.

I urge this government to stop acting so irrationally. Believe in something. Stand up for your principles. There is a pathway through this parliament for laws that will protect our environment, safeguard our climate and protect the future for future generations, but it's not going to happen unless you're prepared to talk, unless you're prepared to stand by your principles. Stop being so afraid of Peter Dutton and Gina Rinehart and do something for nature.

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Emergency Management and Minister for Cities (Senator McAllister) to a question I asked today relating to the environment.

Question agreed to.