Senator REYNOLDS (Western Australia) (16:24): I too rise to speak on this so-called matter of public importance. But, unlike those opposite, what I would like to do is begin by expressing my deepest condolences to the victims of the recent natural disasters that have been cited, which have tragically claimed the lives of several thousand people and devastated local communities.

I’m extremely proud that Australia has a leading role in international humanitarian responses to disasters, and we play a particularly important role in the Indo-Pacific region in combating the impacts of these natural disasters. Australia will invest another $12.3 million over three years in the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to help build greater resilience in our region. I would point out that this government has increased Australia’s humanitarian aid budget by 18 per cent for this financial year to support neighbouring countries’ preparation and responses to these incidents. I’m very proud in particular that our wonderful ADF provides such brilliant support and humanitarian relief following natural disasters overseas.

The natural disasters affecting South Asia and the Americas, which are cited in this so-called MPI, are tragic, and their victims deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and sympathy, as do all victims of other natural disasters that have occurred and continue to occur around the globe. But I’ve got to say I am utterly appalled that some in this place have sought to conflate and exploit these particular tragedies for their own almost evangelical purposes—and I think that the Spanish inquisitors would have envied their religious zealotry on this issue.

Yes, the climate has always been changing, for over 650,000 years. We’ve had seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, and for the last 7,000 years we have been in this current climate phase. Does the climate change? Absolutely. Do I think that climate is impacted by human activity? Most probably. But for those opposite to again use these disasters to try and make some political capital is quite appalling.

I know every single person in this place wants to leave the world, and certainly the environment, in a better place than it was when we inherited it, but not at the cost of energy security, affordability and Australian jobs today. We have to be cognisant of our environment and how best to protect it, but it cannot be at the expense of Australians’ livelihoods and their standard of living. This chamber and this place cannot be guided by the blind ideological zealotry that those on the crossbenches—in this case the Greens—display.

In contrast, this government has set strong, responsible and achievable emissions reduction targets. We understand that there is a dilemma at play here. We do need—and we on this side absolutely accept the need—to transition to a lower emissions future whilst still providing affordable and secure energy for hardworking, everyday Australians and their families, a concern that those opposite clearly do not have. Rather than being guided by blind ideology and always being on the watch for consequences that are sometimes of biblical proportions—plagues, floods and things that have been predicted for 2,000 or 3,000 years—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator REYNOLDS: Those opposite, when they’re talking about this, actually sound like these great evangelical preachers.

Opposition senators interjecting—

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Williams ): Order on my left!

Senator REYNOLDS: I rest my case, Mr Acting Deputy President. They can’t even allow other people speaking on this issue to be heard in silence. They have to shout us down because they don’t like hearing what we think about what they’re doing. But, rather than being guided by blind ideology and always, as I said, being on the watchout for consequences of biblical proportions—signs that the world is about to end, plagues, floods, pestilence—those on this side take a much more responsible approach. We do want to improve our environment, we do want to reduce our emissions, but not at the cost of all Australians.

Australia produces just 1.3 per cent of global emissions, as my colleague Senator Macdonald is fond of pointing out in this chamber. We do believe it is important, which is why we’ve joined the global response to climate change. It is why Australia and this government ratified the Paris Agreement in November 2016. Australia does make a strong contribution to the negotiations and implementations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Sometimes I think that’s why those opposite get so, so evangelical about this whole issue—they can’t stand the fact that other people actually care about the environment and want to do something, but, again, not at all costs and not to the cost of all Australians, to their jobs and to their livelihoods and affordability. They’re always talking about affordability, but the direct implications of their berserk and bizarre policy of having renewable energy at all costs at 12 per cent and increasing it when we don’t have the adequate base power is impacting on all Australians. Shame on you for actually using the disasters in other places to—

Senator Whish-Wilson: Shame on you for ignoring it!

Senator REYNOLDS: Shame on you, Senator Whish-Wilson!

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Sterle ): Order! Senator Whish-Wilson! Senator Reynolds, your time has expired.