Interview with Sarah Abo - The Today Show, Channel Nine
SARAH ABO, HOST: Well, momentum is building inside the Coalition to alter net zero commitments with private sector polling finding 52 per cent of voters support a target but with a watered down approach. Joining us to discussion today’s headlines is Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth and the Tasmanian Senator Nick McKim will be joining us in a moment. He's just making his way into the studio.
So, Amanda, let's start with you. Now, the Coalition is looking at ways to reduce emissions without the additional cost to consumers. Is that even achievable?
AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS: Well, look, it's sort of reminding me of last time they were in government of 22 failed energy policies. And the problem with that is you don’t get investment certainty. You don't get the investment in renewables, in jobs, all those sorts of things. But it seems to me they are just continuing to fight among themselves. They can't seem to even work out what they want to do. But for our Government, we're really focused on giving that investment certainty, getting that investment in jobs, renewables and actually acting on climate change.
SARAH ABO: If this polling is to be believed, Amanda, doesn't it suggest that the Nationals’, you know, civil war, I guess, on net zero, there might be something behind that?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, first I would say you don't get lower power prices by not having investment in energy generation. Of course, the modelling that we've been doing as part of our 2035 target actually shows that a coordinated renewables investment plan actually leads to a decrease in power prices over the decade. So we need to have this investment. We need certainty, we need the jobs. We need to seize the economic opportunity that comes.
SARAH ABO: There will be an increase in prices, electricity prices. I mean, there's no doubt about that. And I guess, Nick, in any case, to Amanda's point, we need to find a way through, right? So this polling might suggest that what has been a sore point for the Coalition might actually find a resolution. If people do support a target of some sort, maybe there is a way through this stalemate and a way Australia can move forward in a sense once and for all.
NICK MCKIM, TASMANIAN SENATOR: Well, look, I hope we can move forward and take strong climate action. It's barely believable that in 2025 there are still so-called serious political parties effectively arguing about whether climate change is real. And we know from the work that's been done that the cost of not acting on climate change is far, far greater than any extra cost that might be associated with acting on climate change. And we know that, for example, new coal generation is more expensive than new renewable energy generation. So, absolutely, the Coalition has to get its act together. But we also need Labor to adopt stronger targets, and we need Labor to stop approving new coal and gas mines and adding to the climate burden that our children and our grandchildren are going to face.
SARAH ABO: At any cost, Nick, financially?
NICK MCKIM: Well, you never do anything at any cost but we do know that-
SARAH ABO: [Interrupts] That's what you're suggesting, though.
NICK MCKIM: The costs of not acting on climate change are astronomical and they're already being felt in our communities through things like floods and bushfires, and they're also being felt in household budgets through things like a massive spike in insurance premiums. So the evidence is in. We've got to take action. The Coalition has to get its act together, but Labor has to do more as well.
SARAH ABO: Well, the evidence clearly suggests that the public is also concerned about the increase and what the government's 2032 climate target will mean for their electricity prices. And then, of course, there's Labor's environmental laws facing an uncertain passage in the Senate. So, Nick, will the Greens back it?
NICK MCKIM: Well, what I'll say is this about the environment laws, is that if they don't do things like protect our forests and if they don't do things like protect our climate, they're not going to be worth the paper they're printed on. So Labor absolutely should not take our support for granted. They're going to need to come to the table and actually do something meaningful to protect forests and to protect climate. And that's something we've been very clear about. We're not here to rubber stamp what Labor’s doing. We are here to fight for nature, to fight for strong environment laws, to fight for our forests and to fight for climate action. And that's what we'll be doing.
SARAH ABO: It's just a mess, though. And watching on from the public's perspective, this is just- it is just a circus. I mean, Murray Watt is the third environment minister in five years attempting to fix these environmental laws. Can he get it done, Amanda?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, look, obviously what Murray Watt's putting forward is a really well-consulted proposal. This review was done actually under the current Opposition leader, Sussan Ley because we know that we need faster approvals, but we also know we need stronger environmental laws. So, look, I know that the Minister is engaging across the Parliament with both the Coalition and the Greens, but we want to achieve our objectives. That's good for business, but it's also good for the environment. And we really need to get on with the job, and that's what we plan to do.
SARAH ABO: All right, well, let's watch this space as we say a lot about some of the policies that are trying to get through. Moving on to something a little bit lighter, maybe a bit more awkward as well. South Australian MP Tim Whetstone has been caught out reposting some rather, shall we say, salacious Instagram posts. He reckons, Amanda, that he accidentally retweeted [sic] it, that he didn't mean to. So I guess it begs the question, have you ever been caught out in a similar way?
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Look, there are a couple of times that my finger might have slipped on the like button, but I've quickly unliked it. I actually don't know what it was.
SARAH ABO: [Laughs] No evidence. Karl reckons you saw it.
[Laughter]
AMANDA RISHWORTH: Did you? I have to say, your stomach drops and you quickly find the unlike button very quickly.
SARAH ABO: It's difficult, isn't it? Nick, what about you? I mean, sometimes back when I used to be on Twitter, that was always a massive risk of retweeting something that you didn't mean to retweet.
NICK MCKIM: Yeah, look, I've done it as well. I don't think it's been anything too salacious, but it's just been stuff that I didn't mind- I didn't want to retweet, and it's a trap, and I guess it's a lesson for the unwary. You do have to watch, especially on phones, you've got to watch where your thumb lands.
SARAH ABO: Absolutely. Maybe they should ban social media for adults as well. [Laughs] Guys, thanks so much for joining us this morning. Appreciate it.