Budget - Climate Action Plan
Ms BURNET question to TREASURER, Mr ABETZ
[10.47 a.m.]
Your government does not have a climate action plan. An independent review of climate action adaptation planning tabled earlier this year found it weak and fragmented. Stakeholders have no confidence in your government's ability to deliver meaningful climate outcomes, and last month this House passed a motion calling on your government to take climate action seriously. Your response? To cut the budget of the Climate Change Office by 50 per cent over the forward Estimates, so that by 2029‑30 you'll be spending more on Brand Tasmania advertising than on taking action to prepare the state for the ravages of climate change. How is that decision consistent with your supposed concerns for Tasmania's future, or are we finally seeing the fruits of your climate change denialism?
ANSWER
Speaker, speaking personally, for once, from this microphone, I indicate that I have always sought to be an exceptionally good steward of our environment. What I have not succumbed to is some of the Armageddon‑type language, which I've now been submitted to for over 30 years in public life ‑ that we're going to get to a tipping point every year. When you're told that the tipping point's going to be reached this year and then another 10 years go by.
That said, of course we want to be exceptionally good stewards of the environment and, therefore, we want to minimise pollution -
Ms BURNET - Point of order, 45, relevance. The question is about climate change and the Climate Change Office.
The SPEAKER - Well, the Treasurer has been relevant, so as the honourable Deputy Speaker knows, I cannot put words in the honourable Treasurer's mouth. He still had nearly two minutes to respond, so I'll call the honourable Treasurer back to the question.
Mr ABETZ - I was accused, I think, of climate change denialism, and I am trying to explain where I stand in relation to that. As a government, we are finalising 98 practical cross‑government projects that improve information and knowledge about climate change, reducing emissions and building resilience to the changing climate. Is the climate changing? Yes. Should we be polluting less? Yes. Is the government acting on that? Yes, we are and we will continue to act.