QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (14:22): Thank you for the free character assessment, Senator Whish-Wilson. It's a much more positive one than I'm used to receiving from that corner of the chamber! I'm very proud of being part of a Labor government that is taking strong action on climate change.

This government, unlike any other government that we've had in Australia, has set ambitious and achievable targets for the reduction of carbon emissions. We all know—well, most of us who believe the science know—that our reefs, our oceans and our natural environment in general are at great risk due to the impacts of climate change. And that's why our government is taking action to reduce emissions through the expansion of renewable energy, through bringing in new fuel efficiency standards when it comes to motor vehicles, through taking action in agriculture, in heavy industry more generally and through the safeguard mechanism.

They are the practical policies that are delivering the reductions in carbon emissions that our environment needs, and we'll continue to act on them— (Time expired)