Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry and Science, Senator Farrell. In his 1917 paper on the quantum theory of radiation, Einstein said the energy transferred by radiation is so small that it always drops out as compared to other processes. This is in line with his 1905 mass energy equivalence principle that says mass is energy. Given the mass of an electron is 1,800 times smaller than that of a proton, how can a photon absorbed by an electron in a carbon dioxide molecule at a wavelength of 14.8 microns and energy of 1.4 to the power of negative 20 joules be expected to increase the temperature of the surrounding 6,600 nitrogen and oxygen molecules by one degree without violating the first law of thermodynamics?

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

Senator Birmingham?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll grant leave for Senator Rennick to ask the question again if Senator Farrell needs it.

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

I'm sure Senator Farrell does not need it. Senator Whish-Wilson?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order, President: I wonder if the Senate could assist with a whiteboard for Senator Farrell.

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

Thank you, Senator Whish-Wilson. Minister Farrell.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rennick for the opportunity to revisit my youth and my studies. You might be interested, Senator Rennick, that the university I went to, Adelaide university—

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What year?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a good year—honours the Braggs. They were two wonderful scientists, father and son, who both won Nobel prizes. I have to say, Senator Rennick, I am slightly at a loss to uncover a question that I can answer. But can I say this: we have a fantastic minister in this area, Minister Husic, and I would be absolutely certain that, when I speak to him after this, as I shall, he will very quickly have an answer for you. I will come back to you with a thorough answer on this question.

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

Senator Rennick, first supplementary?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Carbon dioxide has four frequencies that absorb photons: one incoming infrared band at 2.8 microns, one non-polar band at 4.3 microns and two outgoing long-wave bands at 14.8 microns. Planck's law states that the energy of a wavelength is inversely proportional to its frequency, meaning that CO2 absorbs incoming photons with five times more energy than the outgoing photons it absorbs. Why is this cooling by CO2 overlooked by climate alarmists?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Rennick for his first supplementary question. I think the science in this area is reasonably well settled. The science in this area says that global warming is an issue, and it's an issue that all governments have to address and, in particular, that the Australian government has decided to address. One of the things that I've been very focused on in my trade area is ensuring that we participate in the process to get to net zero. How are we doing that? Well, Australia is once again the lucky country because we have vast resources of the critical minerals that are going to be— (Time expired)

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

Senator Rennick, a second supplementary question?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Despite claiming the science is settled, the CSIRO has stated there are 40 different models to calculate net zero. This is despite only one equation describes the relationship between gas and temperature—the ideal gas law: PV equals nRT, which can be broken down as mass times acceleration equals nRT. Acceleration represents gravity, which is the force that traps molecules in the atmosphere. Given this fact, why do climate alarmists believe some mythical greenhouse traps heat when it's actually gravity?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rennick has asked a very genuine question, and I think it deserves a genuine answer. Unfortunately, I'm not the person who knows the answer. But I can assure you, Senator Rennick, that I take your questions seriously, even if some of our colleagues behind me don't. I do take the question seriously, Senator Rennick, and I will raise these issues with the science minister and come back to you with a formal answer in due course.

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

Subject to Senator Birmingham not wanting the last 15 seconds, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.