CLIMATE CHANGE —
POLICY
1234. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the Minister for Environment:
I
refer to the minister's response to question without notice 1208 in
which he stated that ''the
McGowan government takes climate change seriously''.
(1) Why does Western Australia not
have a renewable energy target?
(2) Why does Western Australia not
have a net zero emissions target?
(3) Why does Western Australia not
have a minister for climate change?
(4) Why has Western Australia not
committed to a statewide ban on fracking?
(5) Why does Western Australia not
have a climate change policy?
Hon STEPHEN
DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question.
(1)–(2) With
respect to renewable energy targets and emissions, as I have previously
responded, the McGowan government considers that national approaches to
mitigation are generally more economically efficient. We will continue to work
through the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council to seek a national
approach to reducing emissions from the electricity sector. The Minister for
Energy has confirmed the range of measures being progressed by the McGowan
government to support renewable energy and reduce emissions, including moving
to a ''constrained'' access framework and modernising the
wholesale electricity market to improve network access for renewable generators.
�(3) As the
Minister for Environment, I have responsibility for coordinating the government's
response to climate change, and acknowledge the role of my ministerial
colleagues in addressing the issue.
(4) Today, the
McGowan Labor government has prohibited hydraulic fracture stimulation
throughout WA except where existing petroleum titles currently allow for it to
occur. This equates to a ban on fracking across 98 per cent of the state. The
independent scientific inquiry into fracking spent 12 months considering all
the available evidence and concluded that the risk to people and the
environment is low and can be reduced even further if its recommendations are
adopted. As a responsible government, we need to respect what the inquiry has
found. To impose a blanket ban on fracking on existing petroleum titles when
the evidence shows the risks can be managed would undermine Western Australia's
reputation as a safe place to invest and do business.
(5) As I have previously stated in this house, the
McGowan government takes climate change seriously and is committed to playing a positive role by developing
effective policy in this area and fostering renewable energy.