Interview with David Koch, Seven's Sunrise

DAVID KOCH: Now, the Government is hoping to win more than a decade of climate wars today when it introduces its climate bill to Parliament. The legislation would enshrine Labor's commitment to a 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050. But it will need the support of the Greens to get through the Upper House. Joining me now is Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen. Minister, you've made some changes to the bill during negotiations. Have the Greens confirmed their support?

CHRIS BOWEN: There's a bit to go yet, Kochie. I'll introduce the bill today. It's an important bill, as you said, it enshrines our climate change reduction, our emissions reduction targets, our climate change targets in law, which is really important because it sends a message to investors that Australia's back open for business, for renewable energy, for transmission, for storage and then that we're raring to go and it’ll create a lot of jobs. But we have had good faith discussions with people across the Parliament. Unfortunately, the Liberal Party said they're voting against it despite the fact they haven't even seen it, hasn't been to their Shadow Cabinet, hasn't been to their party room. They've made themselves irrelevant to the process because they haven't got the message from the Australian people. But we are getting on with the job.

DAVID KOCH: Ok, but what about the Greens?

CHRIS BOWEN: We've had a few discussions and those discussions have been based on the principles that the Prime Minister and I have outlined, that we're going to stick to our mandate, we're going to stick to what we told the Australian people we would do. That is 43% by 2030, net zero by 2050, 82% renewables in the grid by 2030. That's what we said we would do and that's what we'll get on and do. That's not up for negotiations. Of course, a sensible government of grown-ups will talk to people across the Parliament to see what we can work on together.

DAVID KOCH: Okay, so how will it affect households, and what happens if we don't reach those targets?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, what happens in relation to households in terms of climate action more broadly, because this bill sets out the framework, there's a whole lot more there. More renewables in the system is cheaper energy. Renewables are the cheapest form of energy by a country mile, Kochie, and we need to get more of them in the system. We need to build the transmission and the storage to make it work and that reduces power prices. And in relation to what happens if we don't meet the targets, we're held to account. Part of the bill is that I'll have to give an annual report to Parliament on how we're going and the Climate Change Authority will release to the public how we're going and what more we need to do into the future. We want to hold ourselves and future governments to account.

DAVID KOCH: Okay, so if you don't get it, are you told you've been a very naughty boy or are there penalties or what happens?

CHRIS BOWEN: No. The Australian people will hold any government to account, and investors will hold us to account. And this is, as I said at the beginning, Kochie, as you understand, sending a signal to investors that Australia is open for business. We've got a clear framework. The days of 22 energy policies under the previous government are gone. Australia's got one energy policy. It's in the climate bill, and it lets people get on with the job.

DAVID KOCH: Okay. All right. Good start. Thank you. Chris, good to see you.

CHRIS BOWEN: Good on you, Kochie. Thank you.