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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-10-28 Daily Xml
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Climate Change

Mrs POWER (Elder) (14:49): My question is for the Minister for Environment and Water. Can the minister inform the house about the Marshall Liberal government's leadership in climate change adaptation and emissions reduction?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:49): I thank the member for Elder for that question. She has a great commitment to our natural environment, particularly in her electorate and also state-wide, and to South Australia's ongoing leadership when it comes to climate change policy and climate change adaptation in the face of—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader was on one warning and is now on two.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —a changing climate and, of course, emissions reduction so that we can play our part. We are certainly playing a very significant part in national and global leadership when it comes to finding ways to reduce our emissions and the footprint we have as a state in a national and global context.

It was great that in February 2020 this government, through the Governor's address at the opening of parliament, made the announcement that we will establish an interim target in terms of our reduction in emissions. We have had, for some time, a 2050—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call, and I emphasise that I am keeping a very, very watchful eye on the leader.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: It is always incredibly disappointing how the opposition take an issue as significant as climate change—they have such a cavalier approach to it, so much anger—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Laughter—they are laughing at South Australia's leadership.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: What can we do? Gestures—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —and virtue signalling, the usual woke nonsense, but no interest in practical action.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, I am on my feet! There will be silence. There is a spirited mood in the room. The level of interjections has exceeded an orderly level and I ask that all members come to order and that we listen to the minister in silence. I also add that the Premier has made some very pertinent representations to me.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Thank you, Mr Speaker, for taking this matter so seriously. In February 2020, we made the announcement that we would insert an interim target, a 2030 target, to have a 50 per cent reduction in emissions on 2005 levels by 2030, building on our net zero target for 2050. We felt that that interim target was incredibly important to have a goad to action for government, for community, for business leaders to get on and transform the way they undertake their activities and transform South Australia into a decarbonised economy, a decarbonised society.

This week, we announced we will be enshrining those targets, the 2030 interim target and the 2050 net zero target, within legislation. We are doing that because we want to send that very strong signal to South Australians, but more broadly than that to people across the nation and across the globe, that South Australia is a place taking this seriously. We are undertaking this transition in a big way and we are doing so through legislation and practical action.

That will no doubt attract investment to South Australia. It will attract jobs to South Australia. It will set South Australia up for success in terms of saying to the world that we are a place to invest in clean, green technologies, a decarbonised economy and a place that has a strong focus on adaptive technologies that will sustain South Australia's livability and our ability to have economic advancement into the future.

We know this is great for South Australia's brand economically, but we also know that it is great socially and it is great for people's wellbeing in South Australia if we adapt successfully to the inevitable changes, some of them very challenging, that will come with a change in climate as well as from a conservation point of view.

Adelaide has been named Australia's most livable city and one of the most livable cities in the world. This is all part of building that clean, green brand and signalling that we are up to this leadership.

Time expired.

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