In Parliament: Climate Change questions, statements and COP27

Image: Prime Minister Albanese answers a question on Loss and Damage asked by Leader of the Opposition peter Dutton

A few question on climate change being asked in the Commonwealth Parliament during Question time during the UN Climate Change conference COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.

On November 7, Queensland Greens MP Ms Watson-Brown asked the Prime Minister about the bid to host the Climate Change Conference COP31 in 2026 and whether he would commit to not opening any of the 114 new coal and gas projects presently in the pipeline?

The Prime Minister failed to answer the question. 

This question was originally attributed at the Guardian Live page as Peter Dutton, leader of the opposition, asking the question.

On November 8 Peter Dutton (Leader of the Opposition) asked a question whether the Prime Minister would ‘rule out’ compensating other countries for the climate crisis. It should be noted Loss and Damage is an important issue at COP27.

The Prime Minister in his response recalled the joke that Peter Dutton made in 2015 about our island neighbours drowning and then described the diplomatic efforts taken since May in restoring the credibility of Australia in the Asia Pacific region on Foreign policy. 

Albanese failed to address that Australia is not funding its fair share of climate finance and is the only OECD country not to participate in multilateral climate finance funding through the Green Climate Fund, after former Prime Minister Morrison unilaterally withdrew Australia from this Fund in 2019. (See Guardian report)

• 10 November - Question on COP27 - Zalli Steggall
• 10 November - Question on funding Climate Activists - Mr Fletcher
• 10 November - Statements - Raise our voices Australia - Dr Aly
• 10 November - Statements - Australia: Floods - Brian Mitchell
• 10 November - BILLS on Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Reform
• 9 November - Statements - Environmental Conservation - Kylea Tink
• 9 November - Statements - Little Climate Heroes Playgroup - Louise Miller-Frost
• 9 November - Questions on Climate Change - Sally Sitou
• 8 November - Questions on Climate Change - Peter Dutton
• 8 November - Questions on Climate Change - Dr Ananda-Rajah
• 8 November - Statement (on Gas Industry) - Adam Bandt
• 8 November - Statement on Budget cut to National Centre for coasts, environment and climate - Ms McKenzie
• 7 November - Questions on Climate Change - Elizabeth Watson-Brown
• 7 November - Statements (on Climate Change)- Zali Steggall
• 7 November - Petitions (related to Climate Change)
• 7 November - Global Methane Pledge motion by the Opposition

Budget2016 fails on climate change: environment & climate NGOs respond

Article originally published at nofibs.com.au

The Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison delivered the Federal budget without once mentioning in his speech (Full text at Sydney Morning Herald) climate change, renewables, phase out of coal or transitioning to clean energy economy. This Government, though it recently signed the Paris Agreement, is in effect in climate denial going into the July 2nd Federal election.

The Treasurer's only related reference was to the abolition of the carbon tax. The Abbott/Turnbull government kept the tax scales that Labor introduced as compensation for introduction of carbon pricing. So although high income earners and companies get a tax cut in this budget, everyone on low income has already had our tax reward back in 2012, and hence get nothing.

"This change also builds on the tax cuts provided to those on incomes of less than $80,000 to compensate for the carbon tax. By abolishing the carbon tax and keeping the tax relief in our first budget we delivered a genuine tax cut for those earning up to $80,000 a year."- Scott Morrison

I'll leave others more qualified to comment on the economic and political ramifications of this budget. But the absence of any mention of the environment, of transitioning the economy away from coal to renewables and a clean energy future, and the tens of thousands of new jobs this would create, makes it clear this government is firmly stuck in the past. They use the word innovation a lot (5 times in the Treasurers speech), but it is more marketing than actual substance in supporting and funding the science and education in transforming to a low carbon economy.

Negotiating climate action in a hung parliament

Australians woke up on Sunday to find neither Labor or Opposition Liberal and National parties had achieved a majority of seats in the Federal House of Representatives. Indeed, the Greens were the main winners with over a 5 per cent national swing and 6 senators likely elected, achieving the balance of power position in the Senate; and an historic breakthrough win for Adam Bandt in Melbourne, the first Greens MHR elected in a Federal election.

This election was a referendum on climate action and both Labor and Liberal/Nationals received a thumbs down from the voting public. A minority Government now needs to negotiate an effective carbon price and action on climate change with the Greens and the Independents.

In a hung parliament the three independent MPs - Bob Katter from Kennedy (Queensland), Tony Windsor from New England (NSW) and Rob Oakeshott from Lyne (NSW), all formerly from the National Party, plus progressive greens independant Andrew Wilkie who is likely to be elected for Denison (Tas), and Greens member Adam Bandt for Melbourne (Vic), may determine who makes up the next minority Government.