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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-09-18 Daily Xml
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Premier's Climate Change Council

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:13): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Can the minister outline to the house how the government is using the Premier's Climate Change Council to drive forward practical actions to combat the change in climate?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Environment has the call.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (15:14): It is always good to be able to update the house on our government's practical response to dealing with the challenges that climate change—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —results in this state facing. We know that we have just handed down a budget which was the biggest spending budget in this state's history on climate change mitigation and adaptation—an energy plan delivered by the Minister for Energy and Mining, which didn't have a dirty diesel generator in sight, an energy plan centred around renewables that will take this state to its target of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025, only seven years away. What a great story that is to be able to tell South Australians, the nation and the world.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: It has been great, since I became the minister, to work with the Premier's Climate Change Council, headed by Mr Bruce Carter. The council is providing great advice to both myself and the Premier on how we can position South Australia as a leader in climate change adaptation and mitigation and taking that story across the nation and the world. I have met with Mr Carter and the council on a number of occasions since becoming the minister and have been working closely with them to develop a practical work plan, which the council can feed into and drive forward.

One of the strategies that we are looking at is having the council develop a cross-government climate adaptation strategy, working with all government agencies to identify where they can position themselves to reduce emissions and—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is called to order. Member for Reynell, you are on two warnings. Member for Kaurna, you are on two warnings. Minister, you have the call.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: We have the situation where the Premier's Climate Change Council will be working with each government agency to find strategies and initiatives which will help them reduce their emissions and drive leadership in regard to climate adaptation.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Why are we getting government to do this? Because we are in a position where we can direct government: we can control the actions of government and we can have a very immediate impact on climate strategy. I have also asked the climate council to look at a blue carbon strategy for this state. That is looking at seagrass restoration, the development of mangroves and ways to create sequestration opportunities using our marine environment. Not only is this good for the natural habitat—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: the minister's time has expired.

The Hon. S.K. Knoll: No, it hasn't.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: No, it hasn't, actually. It hasn't.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right! No, member for West Torrens, he has another minute and a bit left.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I have already kicked him out once today. Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I move that a further minute be allowed to answer this question.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I will grant the minister an extra minute. The minister has an extra minute.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I might not require that full extra minute, Mr Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister has the call.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: If members continue to interject, they will be leaving.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: It must be very hard for the Labor Party to see our shift away from gesture politics and virtue signalling when it comes to climate policy. All the slogans, all the icons and all the gimmicks are ending and being replaced by practical—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —climate change action. Their master of dirty diesel generators screams me down, but at the end of the day it is this party which is providing leadership on climate change in this state.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The question before the house is that the house notes grievances. The member for Badcoe will be heard in silence.

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