Opposition spokesperson for energy and emissions reduction Dan Tehan has asked a question on whether the government would meet its 2030 emission-reduction targets, including an 82 per cent renewable energy share in the electricity grid.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the government was doing well, and confirmed its intention was to meet the target, leading to loud jeers from the opposition benches.
Some Nationals MPs, including Barnaby Joyce, Michael McCormack and Matt Canavan (rear), are calling for the net-zero target to be dumped entirely.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Tehan raised a point of order on relevance, saying the question was about whether the target would be met, not about the intention of meeting it.
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The objection was dismissed, as Speaker Milton Dick continues to speak out against frivolous points of order in the new term of parliament.
“The minister was being directly relevant within seconds of answering your question,” Dick told Tehan. “You might not like it, but I’m asking everyone to get with the program here.”
Bowen went on to sledge the “bromance” between Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack.
“It takes some temerity for those on this side of the house to ask about meeting our targets when they can’t agree on whether they have a target, Mr Speaker,” Bowen said.
“The house just before question time voted to bring on the member for New England’s [Barnaby Joyce] bill for a vote next sitting week. You know who voted to bring on the bill? [Labor’s] side of the house, plus the member for New England! Everybody else over there voted against the bill, even the seconder of the bill, the second member of the bromance, the member for Riverina [Michael McCormack]!”
The former Nationals leaders have been publicly pushing for their party – now led by David Littleproud – to back away from net-zero targets.