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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 902 asked in the Legislative Council on 21 August 2019 by Hon Tim Clifford

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

CLIMATE CHANGE — PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM

902. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:

I refer to the Pacific Islands Forum held last week, specifically the conduct of the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

(1) Does the Premier condemn the comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister that Pacific nations' people will survive the impacts of climate change by coming to Australia to pick fruit?

(2) Does the Premier endorse the Prime Minister's conduct at the forum, and the watering down of the agreement by removing all references to coal, limiting warming to less than 1.5 degrees and setting out a plan for net zero emissions by 2050?

(3) Does this government continue to endorse this federal government as the most appropriate body to reduce Australia's contribution to global emissions?

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the House, I think the first part of that question might have been a bit out of the ballpark, and I do not think the Premier has the capacity to make comments on what the federal government is doing. I am not too sure whether you have a response to the remainder of that question.

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

Certainly, parts (1) and (2) are asking for an opinion, and the Premier, in accordance with standing orders, does not provide an opinion; however, I do have an answer.

(1)–(2) The state government's long-held position is that the federal government needs to provide national leadership on reducing emissions to deliver a consistent policy across the country and provide international leadership on this issue.

(3) The federal government is the appropriate level of government to tackle this issue as per section 51(xxxix) of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901. In December 2018, the intention to create a new state climate policy was announced. This policy will be developed to draw together and build on climate-related initiatives already underway, including measures to enhance renewable energy, secure our water supplies, accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles, and unlock our state's significant carbon sequestration potential.