News

31 May 2023

I rise to thank the people for Warringah for coming out in great numbers to support the launch of my new campaign to push for 75 per cent emission reduction by 2035. On the 18th of May 2023, the fourth anniversary of my election of an independent Warringah, we filled the Taronga Zoo auditorium with constituents to hear from the scientists, the finance sector, the energy sector and the innovations about why we need to accelerate emissions reduction to address climate change. Constituents engaged enthusiastically with panellists and had many fascinating questions for the experts during the event. So many are frustrated at this place and that the pace of our transition in the face of dire warnings that the world will tip over 1.5 degrees of warming as early as by 2027. We have the technology, we have the roadmaps. It is time to pull all levers available from policy and regulations, investment and incentives and ultimately long-term target.

It was also exciting to relaunch the climate act now campaign with nearly 98,000 people who have signed on calling for greater climate ambition. People from every electorate in Australia have signed up to push for greater action on emissions reduction and climate change and while this government is on the starting line, it is still not doing nearly enough to slow down warming and keep Australia safe. The government urgently needs to move beyond the limited goal it took to the 2022 election. The world has moved on and set new benchmarks. The US past inflation reduction act which will provide tax incentives to businesses and households to electrify, incentivise domestic hydrogen production and inject up to $1 trillion into the green economy. The EU responded by passing the net zero industry act which will boost diversification of supply chains for net zero technologies, will require public sector to consider sustainability and drive upscaling of net zero work forces so it is imperative that we capitalise on our natural advantage and increase investment in renewable technology.

We need to urgently assist households to get off gas, to get rooftop solar and batteries, electrify their cars, their water, their home heating, and in particular, their cooking because that has huge health benefits. We need to set a 2035 target that actually puts Australia in the race to develop green hydrogen and be a renewable energy superpower and that means getting brave and getting ambitious. We need a floor of 75 by 35 to even be in the race so I would like to thank my constituents for being so dedicated on this, Professor Lesley Hughes, Tim Buckley, Anna Freeman for their knowledge and insight, they brought the panel together and we need to continue with this and I'd commend to the government to get more ambitious.