E&OE….
Topics: Marriage equality, Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target, entitlements, Speaker
TOM ELLIOTT:
All right our next guest is the Federal Environment Minister. Greg Hunt, good afternoon.
GREG HUNT:
Good afternoon, Tom.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Is the debate on gay marriage still going?
GREG HUNT:
Look, we've taken a break and I think there's a maiden speech from one of our senators, Jo Lindgren, and then people will reconvene. But it's very amicable. Obviously, I won't go into the details. I'm really proud to be part of a party that has an open, constructive process for debate.
TOM ELLIOTT:
I can accept that you won't tell who's actually saying what, though, will you?
GREG HUNT:
Well everybody speaks without fear or favour and it's understandable that within a Party Room, whilst a position is being formulated, that's done appropriately so as everybody can speak freely. It's a very heartening, uplifting process to be part of and to witness.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Would you hazard a guess on the result of the debate? Which way do you think it will go?
GREG HUNT:
I think pre-empting the Party Room in the midst of a debate is probably not the right ethical thing to do.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Which way would you like it to go?
GREG HUNT:
Again, I understand the question and I appreciate it enormously.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Well, I'm glad you understand the question. It's a simple question.
GREG HUNT:
Yep, yep, yep. But I won't pre-empt the party room. I think in the midst of a debate, this has been the sort of agreed process that we'll all let that follow through and something will emerge.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Are the Nationals involved in this debate?
GREG HUNT:
Yes, it's a joint Party Room, Coalition Party Room, debate.
TOM ELLIOTT:
All right, but do you think that society is on the side of legalising gay marriage now?
GREG HUNT:
There are people of good faith and strong views on both sides of this debate.
TOM ELLIOTT:
All right, we will await with interest, the result sometime this afternoon or this evening.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Now, emissions reductions target, which is slap-bang in the middle of your portfolio as Federal Environment Minister. How did you come up with a reduction in emissions of between 26 and 28 per cent? I mean, why pick those numbers?
GREG HUNT:
Sure, that’s a fantastic question. What we’ve done is we’re mid-pack with all other major economies. So you have Japan at minus 25, you have the US at minus 26 to minus 28 – the same range as Australia but for a slightly different timeframe. Canada at minus 30, New Zealand at the same.
So, and then Korea, for example, is at minus 4 and China is at about plus 150 per cent. But we looked at comparable countries. We also looked at how we would get there. We’ve done the work and the modelling and released a very, very comprehensive 11 page summary of analysis…
TOM ELLIOTT:
How will we get there? I mean, it’s one thing to say, all right we’re going to have a reduction in emissions now by a bit less than 30 per cent within 15 years. But what can the average punter expect? I mean in 30 years, sorry 15 years, I’ll be 62. What will be different about my life under this plan?
GREG HUNT:
So some things will be different and some things will be the same. We should have more energy efficient appliances. We will have more renewable energy, but in a sustainable way, not a wild figure that will never be built and would lead to an $85 billion cost, which is the ALP’s 50 per cent target.
We will also have far more efficient refrigerators and appliances that are using what are called ozone gases and they’ll be phasing out the ozone depleting gases. And that, in turn, reduces our overall emissions because one leads to the other. And so – and we’ll also have, I think, much better coverage in terms of our soil carbons and the health of our farmland and our productivity.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Well, with the appliances…
GREG HUNT:
So we’re doing this without an electricity tax and the counter fact for the ALP is a massive electricity tax.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Okay, but with the appliances, I mean, are you actually going to mandate more efficient appliances or are you just assuming the technology in this area will just advance and consumers will buy them and that, you know, all by itself without the government doing anything, will use less electricity?
GREG HUNT:
Well, what we’re looking at is a national energy productivity plan and that is how we encourage a combination of more efficient lighting, more efficient appliances, goods around the country. Similarly with vehicles. Sadly, we are losing our car industry in Australia.
That is, you know, a tragic outcome for, you know, so many workers in this space. One thing that we will do, however as a consequence, is look at what are the international vehicle standards and how can those, what are sometimes known as American or Euro standards, be applied and adopted in Australia.
TOM ELLIOTT:
But the reality is, they’re already being applied because I mean, Australian-made cars are I think only about 12 per cent of the total market now. So that implies that the other 88 per cent are imported from overseas.
As a result, you know, if they’re from Europe, they’ll fulfil the European standards, if they’re from Asia they’ll fulfil the Asian standards. So I mean, are we proposing to do anything that other countries aren’t doing?
GREG HUNT:
Well, we are actually looking at the standards over the next 10 years and catching up, in fact, with some other countries in terms of the vehicle efficiency, which can, in turn, lead to lower costs for families. Now, the other major thing, the central plank of what we’re doing is continuing on the Emissions Reduction Fund. And the Emissions Reduction Fund is an absolutely critical and successful alternative to the carbon tax.
We’re providing incentives for people to reduce emissions and we’re- we’ve produced four times the emissions of the entire carbon tax experiment at about 1 per cent of the cost per unit. And there’s simply no comparison that we do this without a massive hike in electricity prices. And the ALP is proposing something which will have a 78 per cent increase in wholesale electricity prices.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Alright, so what you’re saying to all of us out there who are potentially disturbed by this target because it, you know, it might sound similar to the carbon tax or I know you say it’s different, but I mean, you’re saying will power prices go up – yes or no? Petrol prices – yes or no?
GREG HUNT:
No, we’re not looking at either of those…
TOM ELLIOTT:
So we’ll more efficient machines, more efficient appliances, more efficient cars…
GREG HUNT:
Ours is a very different vision and policy to the Labor Party. When you compare and contrast, what we have is an essentially positive and optimistic vision that you can reduce emissions without a massive hit to family petrol, family electricity, family gas. That’s a dark view as to how people respond. And it’s a punitive view for the most vulnerable.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Have you taken into account population rises? I only ask because I mean, just last week the Victorian State Government put out a report that we spoke about extensively. And they see that Melbourne’s population is going to go from like 4.5 up to almost 8 million by 2050.
The population of Victoria will go up to 10 million. I mean, you know, are you sure that we can reduce our total emissions while our population is going up at an absolute rate of knots?
GREG HUNT:
Yes, we can because what we’ve seen is Australia’s per capita emissions have already fallen by nearly half over the last- more than 15 years. And so we’ve had a very significant reduction in our per capita emissions.
And then over the next 15 years, well actually from 2005 to 2020, we’re looking at a 50 per cent per capita reduction. And that’s pretty close to and is in fact the best of the major comparable economies. So- emissions per capita and therefore (inaudible) are falling and our efficiency’s increasing…
TOM ELLIOTT:
Alright, well that sounds good, but you’ll need to do that because the population’s almost going to double anyway. But now, quickly, politicians’ expenses – I mean, this is a running sore for the Government at the moment…
GREG HUNT:
Sure, I understand the problems…
TOM ELLIOTT:
Are we going to have a substantive change?
GREG HUNT:
Look, I think the PM has taken a very strong view and position on this. He’s commissioned an independent inquiry. And he’s incredibly abstemious in is his own life.
You know, lives literally in the rooms at the police college when he’s in Canberra and I think you’ll find that what he’s commissioned will lead to some action. And the vast majority of people are obsessed – obsessed – about saving and protecting money for the taxpayer.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Oh, plenty aren’t obsessed with it, by what I’ve read recently.
GREG HUNT:
Well, you know, I think that the vast majority are. And the Prime Minister understands, reflects and shares the public’s view that we have to be custodians and stewards.
TOM ELLIOTT:
Final question – I predicted yesterday, I thought- I said, Tony Smith, the new Speaker, will do an excellent job. I knew him at school. He’s a very, very honest person. Thus far, two days in Federal Parliament, is he doing a good job?
GREG HUNT:
Yes, yes. I think he’s made a tremendous start. He gave a clip over the ears to Christopher Pyne on our side, and a clip over the ears to me when I was in the Chamber today. And perhaps we were each being a little bit voluble. So he’s pulled up a number on the Labor side. But he’s also pulled up Christopher Pyne and myself. He hasn’t had to invoke any rules.
TOM ELLIOTT:
So you were being rude were you? Because he said he wanted to get rid of the rudeness out of Parliament?
GREG HUNT:
Oh, actually, chattering across the table with one of my Labor colleagues, chairing a debate and he pulled both of us up. And Tony was right to do that.
TOM ELLIOTT:
That is good to hear. Greg Hunt, Federal Environment Minister. Back to the gay marriage debate for you. Thank you for your time.
GREG HUNT:
Thanks very much.
(ENDS)