02 November 2007

Peter Garrett MP
Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Environment
Member for Kingsford Smith

E&OE Proof only

Subjects: Leaked documents proving Australia does not have full rights in Kyoto negotiations; marginal seat campaign in Deakin; Job losses because of Howard Government renewable energy inaction

GARRETT: It’s great to be with the candidate for Deakin, Mike Symon, here today, given that these Victorian seats are going to be critical in this upcoming election. And especially given Mike's background as a union representative and the prospect of more severe industrial relations laws if Mr Costello succeeds Mr Howard, should the Howard Government prevail at the next election. And finally because the sitting member for Deakin has had particularly strong views on industrial relations. He has spoken on this matter in the Parliament and he is bound to support any additional reductions to the rights that working Australians have as a matter of course.

I should just add that reports released today showing that the Australian Government delegation to Montreal, to the meetings of the (Kyoto) Parties, were specifically given riding instructions which identified the fact that Australia had non-party status at the meeting of the Parties - meeting in Montreal, to discuss Kyoto and that Australian delegates should take a low profile - is the final nail up against the wall for this government's credibility on any issue relating to climate change.

As recently as yesterday, Mr Downer was reported as saying that of course Australia can participate fully in these meetings. Today, we have in black and white, the advice to the delegates at the meeting in Montreal that is, in fact, completely not true.

The only way in which Australians and Australian kids, who will face the consequences of the climate crisis, will be confident that their government can speak for them at the upcoming Bali meeting of the parties is to ratify the Protocol. And that is the policy of Rudd Labor.

Additionally, the comments yesterday that I made in relation to the mandatory renewable energy target announcement by Labor identified that the Prime Minister was again in receipt of a letter from the former Environment Minister, Senator Campbell, specifically putting him on notice that there would be likely job losses both in northern Tasmania and also in Victoria, at Portland, if in fact the Government didn't review its renewable energy target.

Mr Howard had due warning from a senior minister that his failure to consider a decent mandatory renewable energy target would put jobs at risk. And yet he sat on his hands and did nothing.

Now he professes to be concerned about jobs in the discussion about Kyoto and ratification. Both of these revelations of the last two days leave the Howard Government without a shred of cover or credibility on climate change. You cannot trust John Howard on climate change – these reports of the last two days clearly show.

JOURNALIST: Will you be looking to immediately ratify Kyoto if Rudd wins power so that you will be able to negotiate more fully at the Bali meeting?

GARRETT: A Rudd Labor Government would move to immediately ratify the Protocol as soon as possible.

JOURNALIST: Would that be in time then to give Australia more negotiating status at the Bali meeting?

GARRETT: It's clear that if we had signalled our intention to ratify, and had lodged the instruments of ratification, that when we participated in the meetings at Bali all the members participating would acknowledge and identify that and we would have a full role to play.

JOURNALIST: What would you be pushing for at the conference?

GARRETT: It is important at that conference that the framework for future negotiations is scoped out which sees us getting on the pathway to reducing our greenhouse emissions – both developed and developing countries.

JOURNALIST: Are there any concerns that if the Garnaut report comes back next year and says that it will be too expensive for a 20 per cent renewable energy target by 2020, will that target then have to be pulled back or are you confident that the report will say that it is possible?

GARRETT: I am not going prejudge what Professor Garnaut may report on. The 2020 renewables energy target that Labor has set has already been acknowledged by the industry as a target that is achievable; that will liberate significant amounts of investment; that will produce significant employment – up to 50,000 Australians can expect to be employed over time as renewable energy gears up. It is a target which will operate both to reduce emissions and increase economic capacity, particularly in the regions.

JOURNALIST: How is the report progressing, do you have any idea?

GARRETT: Professor Garnaut has been engaged in a series of meetings; he has travelled extensively; and he is also receiving input from groups and interested parties right around Australia. Any other questions about his report, you would have to put to Professor Garnaut.

JOURNALIST: [inaudible]

GARRETT: We have had a strong week. We have had a strong week because the Government has been exposed – particularly with these revelations that Mr Howard was aware of the likely consequences of not increasing his renewable energy target, on job losses. Because the Howard Government was on notice that, in fact, in instructions that were given by DFAT and Department of Environment to the delegates at Montreal were that we didn't have the capacity to be at the front of the room, participating fully in these meetings, that we would have to sit at the back of the room.

They have been exposed on climate change policy, absolutely completely exposed. And our position is crystal clear – to ratify and to be serious about climate change, to take a full seat at the negotiating table.

Thanks everybody.

ENDS