Estimates - Premier - Climate Change

CHAIR -. As Premier, the appointment of a ministerial portfolio is your call. We know that we will see another reshuffle. Former premier Peter Gutwein took climate change so seriously he appointed himself as the inaugural minister for climate change in 2021. He was replaced as minister for climate change by Roger Jaensch. But after the election in 2024, no one was appointed as minister for climate change. I've heard Ms Morgan-Wicks, with the deconstruction of State Growth, that Renewables, Climate and Future Industries Tasmania will be going to Premier and Cabinet. Premier, noting the motion that I took to the House in my first private members time was around having a climate change minister, and given you'll need to reshuffle the cabinet, will you prioritise climate change and take on the role of minister for climate change yourself?

Mr ROCKLIFF - Thank you for the informative advice, I appreciate that. I will give it consideration. You have spoken about this before, and we've spoken about it personally. Climate change will be going to NRET (Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania), incidentally, not Premier and Cabinet. My understanding of your desire for the portfolio is to have it named up, albeit we could argue, or not argue; we could demonstrate how we do care about climate change by the work that we're doing within the environment portfolio, including our investments in renewable energy and policy commitments in those areas, including Marinus and all sorts of matters. But I will take your views into consideration and be very mindful of those when changes are made. Thank you.

CHAIR - We're almost finished, but I've got about 20 seconds to ask a question. Premier, the Climate Change Office is having its budget substantially cut by 66 per cent in one year and eventually it is estimated over the forward Estimates to be cut by 82 per cent from 2025-26 figures.

I think that might be time, unfortunately. That brings us to the end of the time for scrutiny of the Premier. Thank you, everybody. The next portfolio to appear before the committee is the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs at 1.00 p.m. after this break. 

Mr ROCKLIFF - I thank you, Chair, and I thank members for the scrutiny, the DPAC team and our Premier's Office team as well. 

CHAIR - Thank you.