Parliamentary Speech - Canberra, ACT

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, thank you very much, Mr Speaker and what the IPCC report out today reaffirms yet again, for those of us who've been reading these reports for many years is comes as no surprise, because report after report after report makes the same point with increasing degrees of urgency to the plea.

This report makes it clear we have agency and urgency. Agency because it is not too late to hold the world as close as possible to 1.5 degrees, but urgency because we must move now. The best time to move was 20 years ago. The second best time to move is now and the parliament has an opportunity to make that move this week.

The parliament has an opportunity for the first time in a decade to put a measure in place to reduce emissions from our biggest emitters. That is the choice facing the Parliament this week. This is a big choice for the Parliament. The Parliament can seize this opportunity or squander this opportunity. That is the choice before the Parliament this week.

Last year, we had a debate in this House about targets. The Parliament agreed with us a 43% target. Some Honourable Members said those targets should be higher. I understand that and respect that. We all agreed that was a floor not a ceiling. That's what we all agreed it was a floor not a ceiling. But our projections tell us unless the Parliament passes the safeguard reforms, our projections will be 35% not 43.

So for those Honourable Members who argued for more, those Honourable Members who said the target should be higher they have choices to make this week. Because if you vote against the safeguard mechanism, you are voting for a lower outcome. You're voting against achieving a 43% emissions reduction.

These are the stakes; 205 million tonnes of emissions at stake in this vote between now and 2030. 205 million tonnes, the equivalent of taking two thirds of the cars off Australia's roads. That's what we're talking about in this Parliament this week.

Honourable Members, Leader of the Greens and others have talked about fossil fuels, well fossil fuels covered under the safeguard mechanism, emit currently 73 million tonnes a year. Projections tell us without reform, without a change of policy, this will grow to 83 million tonnes but with a change of policy, it'll be a net 52 million tonnes. That's the question facing the Parliament; is a 205 million tonne question facing this Parliament as to whether we pass these reforms or not. That is the choice facing this Parliament.

And the same goes for new facilities. I want to see a regime in place which covers all new facilities, which covers industrial facilities, which covers resources, which covers them all. Because if the safeguard reforms do not pass, there will be no regime which encourages emissions reduction. There can be new proposals regardless of what they are, they can be developed. There will be no regime in place to require an emissions reduction regime.

What we're talking about is putting a framework in place for that investment that is so necessary. That business has been crying out for for the last decade, that business has been asking for to say we want to see emissions come down but we need a framework to invest in that emissions reduction. This government is prepared to give them that. The question is, is the parliament? That is the choice facing this parliament in this setting fortnight.

Will we grasp that nettle? Will we give Australians the action on climate that they voted for last May. Will parties of good will and good faith come together to work together to deliver that or will they not? Because Honourable Members who call for higher targets, Honourable Members who say 43 is not enough, there's an obligation then to vote for policies which achieve emissions reduction even if they're not, from their point of view, 100% perfect. Even if they're not what they would design, there is a choice before the Parliament and no member can criticise this government on targets if they then vote against policies to achieve emissions reduction. No member can do that. I don't care what seat they represent or what party they represent, they cannot criticise this government about emissions reductions targets and say they are not good enough, if they come in here and vote against policies to achieve emissions reduction. That is not an acceptable outcome.

This government will continue to work in good faith and in good will with parties and individuals of good faith and good will. We’ll continue to work together to make sure the perfect is not the enemy of the good. But we will stand by the policies we took the election. We will implement policies in line with our agenda and our mandate and those policies are emissions reduction. And if this Parliament doesn't want emissions reduction, if this Parliament wants to vote against policies for emission reduction that will happen.

If they want to vote for policies for emissions reduction, the country will be the beneficiary. The planet will be the beneficiary. We will see jobs created across our country, particularly in Australia's regions. And this country, after a decade of denial and delay, a decade of dysfunction can finally grasp at nil.

That's the choice before the Parliament that will be put into the Parliament in this sitting fortnight. That's the choice available Honourable Members, I feel some confidence that the parliament won't squander that opportunity. I feel some confidence that after a decade, the party will recognise it's time to come together and to take that step forward and say 35% emissions reduction is not enough. 35% emissions reduction is not enough. If you think that 43 is not enough, then 35 certainly is not enough.

So Honourable Members who vote for a 35% emissions reduction because they throw out the safeguards reforms, if that's what they choose to do, will be making that choice.

I don't think that's what the Australian people voted for last May. I think the Australian people voted for people of good will and progress to make progress. This parliament has a choice, make a point or make progress. I want to make progress, if others choose to make a point that is better for them.