5 September 2024
Topics: EPA and Nature Positive negotiations with the Government, Labor backing out of 2035 emissions targets, 2050 Climate Change Authority report, what the Coalition would do to bring down power prices
E&OE
Greg Jennett:
So next week is looming as the start of a must-do sitting fortnight for the Albanese Government when it could land multiple deals to pass laws on gambling ads and environmental regulations to mention only a couple. The Coalition could feature in that deal making. To scope that out, Shadow Environment Minister Jonno Duniam joins us now from Bunbury in Western Australia. Jonno, welcome to the program. So fill us in, where are we up to in negotiations, where are you up to in negotiations with the Government on the regulatory watchdog, Environment Protection Australia.
Senator Duniam:
Well, look, the Government have of course heard out our concerns and the many, many concerns that have been expressed by stakeholders, both industry and conservation movement. The bills that were presented to Parliament fell well short of what was needed and fundamentally of course as well, we are simply talking about implementing a new bureaucracy to administer the old broken laws. So we have got some movement of course, there are a number of amendments that we’re looking at at present. There’s still a long way to go. The next two weeks are going to be very, very busy, but the Government haven’t quite gotten to where we think they need to be when it comes to these laws and what they’ve got before the Parliament.
Greg Jennett:
Can we explore the substance of what’s being put on the record, that was by Prime Minister Albanese when he let it be known to the West Australian that he was up for a compliance-only EPA. That is not an approval authority. So critics have been livid about that, you’ll be well aware Jonno, that it’ll only weaken an already toothless agency that’s being proposed. The question is, why should a Minister alone, effectively, be decision-maker on critical national projects?
Senator Duniam:
Well, Ministers who actually take their job seriously take the advice they’re provided with seriously but they’re also accountable to the people of Australia, an unelected bureaucrat gets paid every fortnight and retains their job no matter what they do. And under the current laws, the proposed position has very limited scope to be able to deal with an official that might be making decisions that change the course of the nation, for better or worse, to very, very limited and extreme circumstances. I think we do need to have faith in our democratic system and Ministers who are, as I say, accountable as part of democratically elected governments should be making decisions. And I think that’s a fundamental part of the problem with what was proposed.
Greg Jennett:
Alright, well that would represent, roughly speaking, status quo. Would you make any deal that was done with the Government conditional on the remainder, or what I think they’re calling ‘tranche three’ changes flowing from the big Graeme Samuel’s review of environment laws, would you make it conditional on the balance of that being addressed in the next Parliament?
Senator Duniam:
Well, that’s something we have to consider and it’s part of my thought process. I’ve made it very clear all the way along, Graeme Samuel himself said the current laws are woefully inadequate and broken. So we are putting in place a new bureaucracy to administer those laws that create these outcomes that are uncertain. But it’s not just this Act, the EPBC Act, there are other parts of Australia’s laws that are causing issues that give us concern. We saw one of those used in the blocking of the gold mine in New South Wales. It doesn’t matter how much we improve these laws or what sort of an entity we put in place in terms of an EPA, there are many, many problems that need addressing and we’re looking at all of those as we get into the sitting week and can finalise our position on this legislation.
Greg Jennett:
Alright, we’ll stay in touch on that. Let’s go to another development broadly speaking on the environment front today, that was the Climate Change Authority, it reported on paths to net zero in 2050 which you and your side support, Jonno Duniam. It works out that if you’re pursuing a 1.5 degree temperature growth limit, you’d need 75% emissions cut, 57 I think if you went for the alternative scenario. Do you accept that that is also what you’re signing up for or have signed up for by way of 2050 emissions cuts?
Senator Duniam:
Well, look, we in a bipartisan way did agree with net zero by 2050 and we think that there are ways of achieving it. We differ from the government on the pathway to net zero by 2050. Of course we have introduced into the debate nuclear, which has been well canvassed as a source of energy generation that the government won’t talk about and that other countries are benefiting from. So yes, we do agree and of course we’ll assess the detail of this report more closely over the coming days, but in terms of reaching net zero by 2050, bring on technologies that reduce emissions, that does include nuclear, and that’s why we think it’s an important part of the debate.
Greg Jennett:
What about the pathway to there? So if the Coalition should win the election, you’re not going to have a 2030 target, I think Peter Dutton has made that clear, but by when would you commit to clear up a 2035 interim target? Would you do that before the election?
Senator Duniam:
Well, I think before we get into what an Opposition that doesn’t have the resources of government and functionaries that can produce the data and reports that they are privy to, we need to understand what the government are going to commit to when it comes to a 2035 target. Now credit to the government, they did tell us what their 2030 target was and they told us what it would mean for the community, including the $275 power price reduction. They won’t tell us what the 2035 target is and what it will mean, so before we go doing anything like that I think we want to know what the Government is committing to. But everything we will have to say on energy policy, on emissions reductions, on power prices will be well known before the election. I just can’t say the same for the Australian government.
Greg Jennett:
Alright, but what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, isn’t it? Why should they be committing to numbers in, I don’t you know, let’s say February or March of next year if you’re not prepared to? I mean, they did from Opposition.
Senator Duniam:
Well, we’re committed to 2050 and we think that that is the goal we need to achieve. The target that was set by the government for 2030, they are not going to meet and in fact, they’re going in the wrong direction. We’ve seen an increase in our greenhouse gas inventory in the last little while and it’s driven up power prices, they’re behind on their renewables rollout. This target that they’ve set, unsustainable, is not something we’re going to sign up to. We’re sticking to 2050. Anything else that’s to be said, we will announce before the election of course. But at the end of the day, all of this talk about emissions reductions and that debate doesn’t focus on power prices, and that’s something Australians want us to address as part of this, we can’t look at it in a one-eyed way.
Greg Jennett:
Alright, somehow I suspect we’ll hear a lot more about that next week and the week beyond as the Parliament sits. Jonno Duniam, we appreciate your time. We’ll wrap it up there and see you back in Canberra before too long.
Senator Duniam:
Thanks Greg.