Trudy McIntosh, Host: The Prime Minister is set to head overseas again this week. He's going to head to Papua New Guinea to mark the 50th anniversary of independence celebrations. While there, Australia is poised to sign a new security agreement. Joining me live now is the Assistant Foreign Minister, Matt Thistlethwaite. Matt, thanks so much for your time on a Saturday afternoon. This is fresh off the heels of the PM's visit to the Pacific. Despite those expectations, we didn't, in the end, see a deal signed with Vanuatu. How successful is the government being in countering China's influence in the region?
Matt Thistlethwaite, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Well, we've always said that we want unity in the Pacific and we want to work with our Pacific neighbours so that we all find our security in that unity through the notion of One Blue Pacific. And that was something that was enunciated by the Fijian Prime Minister when he was in Australia recently. It's something that we subscribe to. The foundation of that is the Boe Declaration that was signed between Pacific nations in 2018, and that provides for cooperation between Pacific nations around security, cybersecurity and climate change. And it includes initiatives like the Pacific Security College, the Pacific Policing Initiative, the Pacific Maritime Initiative as well, and all of these initiatives bringing together Pacific neighbours to work on that security. So, we think that that's fundamental and to back that up, we've done individual agreements, like the Falepili Union, like the agreement that we have with Fiji, and we're now seeking to negotiate one with Vanuatu.
McIntosh: Matt, you mentioned climate change there. We know that was a big focus of the PIF trip the Prime Minister was on. And we are waiting for that looming 2035 climate target to be announced by your government. The Prime Minister said this week that the target needs to be, quote, achievable. And we know the Climate Change Authority has been consulting on a range of between 65 and 75% reduction. Do you think that range would be achievable?
Assistant Minister: Well, I'll wait until the Minister makes the announcement. Chris Bowen, it’s his responsibility. But we are relying on the advice of the Climate Change Authority and our approach will be based on science. We know that climate scientists are telling us that we need to reduce our carbon emissions over time and boost renewable energy. And that's what we've been achieving with our policy of net zero. It's unbelievable that the Coalition are now debating whether or not to pull out of that, that Paris commitment, but we're committed to it and that provides the architecture. And sitting underneath that architecture are policies like the safeguard mechanism, ensuring that the 200 biggest polluting companies reduce their emissions. The new vehicle emission standards, which provide for cleaner vehicles on our roads, our solar programs, our wind programs and recently the household battery program. There's 40,000 Australians that have taken up that household battery program in the small number of months that has been available. I think that that's a demonstration of our commitment to improving our emissions profile and boosting solar and wind energy and renewables.
McIntosh: Last time with the 2030 target, it was legislated. In the end, you have a big majority in the House, but you still rely on the Greens to get things through in the Senate. Do you think the Government will go down this path of actually legislating the 2035 target to give business certainty?
Assistant Minister: Well, that'll be something that the Minister will outline when he reports to Australia and the Parliament on our midterm target. But I reiterate that it will be based on science. And we put that architecture in place to ensure that not only government, but everyone within our economy, including the business community and households, are working together to achieve a reduction in emissions. And basically, we're on a journey, and that journey is to reduce our carbon emissions and to increase renewable energy at a steady rate, to ensure that we keep the lights on, that we keep energy for consumers, but at the same time, we approve our emissions profile and that's what this policy will be all about.
McIntosh: Well, how do you square that, then, I've seen a lot of green groups in the last 24 hours, members, you know, the Greens, David Pocock in the Senate, really angry at the Environment Minister's decision to tick off on the North West Shelf extension. That gas project now extended to 2070. How does that square with Australia's argument to its specific neighbours that it's pulling its weight on reducing emissions?
Assistant Minister: Because that gas project, the North West Shelf, has to meet the legislative commitments of being under the safeguard mechanism. So, that's one of the 200 largest polluting companies in the country. And they will have to reduce their emissions according to that baseline, coming down steadily until they reach net zero by 2050. And Woodside know that. And that was the basis upon which the project was approved. It was also based on scientific research and evidence, and that's why there's quite a large number of conditions that are placed on the project. Not only environmental conditions, but also ones to protect the rare, rare indigenous rock art that exists within the region. So, based on scientific evidence, pretty thorough conditions, and complying with the safeguard mechanism and the legislative requirement to reach net zero by 2050 means that this is a project that the government approved.
McIntosh: Matt, on another matter, we saw that Islamophobia report finally released yesterday. On behalf of the special envoy, he's called for counter terrorism laws to be reviewed. He says the Racial Discrimination Act should be updated to protect religious groups. Is that a path the government's willing to go down and how fast can this process be done?
Assistant Minister: Firstly, I thank Aftab Malik for his work as the special envoy on Islamophobia and combating Islamophobia. It's quite a detailed report. I've just had a quick look at the executive summary. There's a number of recommendations there. And just like the report that Jillian Segal prepared regarding anti-Semitism, we'll look at those reports and we'll respond accordingly. We've already done quite a bit, Trudy, to try and keep Australians safe and ensure respect is the pillar of our community when it comes to religious freedom. And we want to ensure that we continue to move down that path with this report by ensuring that all Australians are free to practice their religion, free of discrimination and hatred, are free to wear religious dress and are free to espouse their review their views as long as they don't incite hatred and violence. And that's the key. And it's getting that balance right that will use that report and the anti-Semitism report and strike that balance if there is any legislative reform required.
McIntosh: And Matt, just a final one from me. It's been a pretty messy week on the other side of politics. Jacinta Price ultimately dumped from Sussan Ley's shadow ministry. Do you think that brings an end to this issue?
Assistant Minister: I don't think it does at all, Trudy. I think that that infighting will continue. It appears that Jacinta Nampijinpa Price isn't going anywhere and is going to continue to press her views from the backbench. And I think that it demonstrates this crisis of identity that's going on in the Liberal Party at the moment, not only around the role of migration in Australia, this war they've got going on regarding net zero and whether or not climate change is real. And it's really posing a challenge for Sussan Ley's leadership. And I think that many Australians are starting to question whether or not she's got the bottle to be the leader of the Liberal Party.
McIntosh: Matt Thistlethwaite, Assistant Foreign Minister, thanks so much for your time this Saturday afternoon.
Assistant Minister: Thanks, Trudy.