Statement made on 26 June 2011 by Senator Grant Mitchell
Hon. Grant Mitchell:
Honourable senators, I want to mention something briefly. I do not want to come between the Senate and its summer recess any longer than necessary, but speaking of summer raised the question of heat, greenhouse effects and climate change effects.
I want to acknowledge the presentation today by Senator Raine when she tried to draw the connection between weather and climate, but in the end concluded in a way that suggests that she, perhaps, does not agree with the science on climate change, that climate change is occurring and that it is being caused by human activity. In fact, she concludes by saying, "It is only when new trends last for many decades that we can start to say that we are witnessing climate change," which is an open-ended statement saying that she has not concluded that.
That would be problematic in two possible ways. One is that she is contradicting the Prime Minister, who has said clearly that he endorses the 2 per cent limit in climate increase. This is important because it would be reflected one way or another in the priorities that, in turn, should be, in one way or another, reflected in the estimates. The Prime Minister has accepted the science of climate change clearly on two occasions. Internationally, he has accepted the 2-degree temperature increase and the implications for managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Either the honourable senator is disagreeing with the Prime Minister, which would suggest an ability to speak freely and openly and to contradict that side of the house — of course, that would suggest some division in the caucus, which would be interesting if not more than interesting — or, in fact, she is reflecting a change in the priorities and a lack of commitment to that very important scientific standard.
I simply make this point so that it is very clear that there is this question in what the honourable senator said today. I also wish to express to the Senate and to the Prime Minister that I hope very much that it does not reflect what he believes and what he has been saying does not reflect in any way a change from that very clear statement that he believes in the science of climate change and that human activity is, in fact, creating climate change.