Prime Minister
Sabra Lane: Prime Minister, thanks for talking to AM. A document the government released yesterday talks about 62,000 jobs being created in mining and heavy industry by 2050 and 100,000 new direct jobs by 2050 in new renewable energy and power industries. Where will those jobs be?
Prime Minister: Right around the country. But we can expect them in rural and regional areas, which is, I think, the most important thing about this plan. By embracing where we're heading to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 as our target, we can do this through the technological changes we're investing in, and the biggest beneficiaries of that will be in rural and regional areas where it's in critical minerals, rare earths and the development of these technologies, like the green steel, the green aluminium, the hydrogen work that is being done, the carbon capture, use and storage, and particularly in areas like soil carbon, which is a key technology target and low cost solar. So all of this is what will drive our economy supported by the other fuels that will continue to play an important role in our economy for many years to come.
Lane: When will you publicly release the modelling on this policy? Until you do, aren't you opening yourself up to claims of greenwashing?
Prime Minister: No look, we will be announcing, we will be releasing that soon, and I'll be talking to the Minister about that. Right now, we're focusing on the plan that we've released and what the plan shows is that you don't have to go and tax and regulate people to achieve this. We've already seen emissions reduce by over 20 per cent in Australia, and we've done that while the economy has grown by 45 per cent. So those who say we're all ruined if we go to net zero by 2050, that's wrong. But those who also say that Australia has to be punished with taxes and regulation to achieve this, to be forced into doing things, that's also wrong. We can do this the Australian way, and that's what our plan sets out.
Lane: The UN said overnight the current pledges mean the world is on track for a temperature rise of 2.7 degrees this century outside what the world has agreed to and that’s temperature rises below two degrees. In light of this new information, will you reconsider Australia's formal 2030 pledge?
Prime Minister: Well, our 2030 pledge is what I took to the last election. And so, you know, that's the trust I have with the Australian people. But what we did yesterday, we will achieve a 35 per cent reduction on our emissions by 2030. That is a significant meet and beat on our targets that we took to the last election. I mean, Australia is outstripping the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Japan. There's a lot of countries talking, but Australia is the one that's actually doing.
Lane: The UN recognises formal commitments, not assertions, and it says most cuts need to be front loaded. Australia's plan currently relies on big cuts towards 2050.
Prime Minister: I don't share that view. And you know, people like Bill Gates agree with me. I mean, what we have to do is invest in the technologies which actually achieve the big changes, and you don't want to go and force things with diverting resources to things that won't deliver those long term gains. And if you want the technologies that are going to get you to 2050, they have long lead times and that's what we're investing in and that's what our plan achieves while we keep digging things up. While we keep ensuring that we plant things and we keep having the agricultural and resources and transport sectors that support rural and regional lives.
Lane: Malcolm Turnbull says this plan still relies on carbon capture and storage, something he says is a con and it's a proven failure. He says it keeps getting run up the flagpole by the fossil fuel sector as a way to defer action.
Prime Minister: Well, when I worked with him, carbon capture and storage was an important technology we were supporting.
Lane: So what are you saying about what he says now?
Prime Minister: I'm not making any comment. I always respect the views of former prime ministers. What I'm saying is our policies are consistent with those of the government has been pursuing for a long time.
Lane: Other than a new cabinet minister and a Productivity Commission review, what other measures have you agreed to in order to get The Nationals onside with the 2050 target?
Prime Minister: Well, particularly the second thing you've referred to and the first are important because it provides an accountability to ensure that the plan we're delivering on is good for rural and regional Australia, and there's an accountability for that. The other areas that we're focused on is ensuring that we continue to invest in rural and regional communities to ensure they can, they can be, come out of this, this process positively and that those jobs are created and investing in the infrastructure and the other supports that are needed to realise that. The other important thing is making sure that we're supporting in the agricultural sector the practises that they are employing and want to continue to employ.
But the ultimate point here is is that everything we're doing is consistent with this plan and consistent with government policy. And it's for all rural and regional Australia. Doesn't matter what party you're from, it doesn't matter who you vote for. We're concerned about rural and regional Australia. The Liberal Party is concerned about that, as is The Nationals. And we're the best people to be able to protect rural and regional Australia for their lifestyle, for their livelihoods, to ensure that these plans can be implemented without punishing them, which is what we saw under the Labor Party.
Lane: When are Australians going to learn about what other measures you have agreed to?
Prime Minister: We'll be making announcements between here and the next election, as we have been for many years. I mean, what we announced yesterday brings together so much of the things that we're already doing, and we make no apologies for that. We've been taking action on these issues every single day, whether the King Review and the changes in the energy market reforms that are being put in place, whether it's the low emissions technology roadmap, which we added to that low cost solar, ultra low cost solar. Now this is going to be one of the key technologies and Australia needs to crack it. We put in place the technology partnerships. I'll be seeing Narendra Modi in a few days’ time. I mean, if we want the world to be able to respond to climate change, then the only way that's going to happen is if technologies are available in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and China that are scalable and affordable. They're not going to put taxes on their economies. They don't have any of those things.
Lane: Prime Minister, you had three cabinet ministers, Barnaby Joyce, Bridget McKenzie, Keith Pitt, who don't believe in net zero by 2050. The plan assumes that there will be major technological advances on cutting emissions. Some have described that as magical thinking. We don't know the modelling that was used for this plan. Why should Australians trust you to deliver this?
Prime Minister: Well, everyone who thinks technology can't achieve it mustn't be aware of what Bill Gates has been able to achieve and what Steve Jobs was able to achieve. And they probably would never have bought Apple or Microsoft shares. Technology, I trust far more than governments taxing people and regulating people. And we know that those investments pay off. We didn't get a COVID vaccine by passing a law or putting a tax on it. I mean, that's what actually achieves the change. And if anybody thinks that you're going to get to net zero by 2050, by some other method than technological change, which is at scale and at cost, then they're kidding themselves. And they're not going to address climate change. They're just going to make themselves feel good saying all sorts of things, but not achieving anything.
We've cut emissions by 20 per cent. More than other countries that are making- our deeds speak far more than the words of others, and we've got a plan that works for Australia. They can have their plans for their countries. That's fine. They could mandate, they can tax, they can do all of that if they want. But that's not what we're going to do in Australia. And I can tell you what we're doing in Australia will show more of a way forward for countries like Indonesia and India and China, than in the developed economies of Europe and the United States ...
Lane: On the pandemic …
Prime Minister: Our way forward helped them achieve this. And if you want to address global climate change, then that's how you do it.
Lane: On the pandemic, when will Australia reopen the international border to foreign students and international tourists?
Prime Minister: Well, I believe, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria, where there's no 14 day quarantine from next month, we will see that before the end of the year. I'm looking forward to finalising some arrangements with Singapore this week. Last night, we signed off on lifting the restriction on Australians who are double vaccinated going overseas from November 1. Australia's first dose vaccination rate today is higher than in the United Kingdom, and that's a percentage of the whole population. So we've got one of the lowest rates of fatality in the world. We've got one of the strongest economies coming through the pandemic in the world, and we're going to have one of the highest rates of vaccination in the world. That's a plan that's working.
Lane: Thanks, Prime Minister for talking to AM.
Prime Minister: Thanks Sabra.