Mark Butler, TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP INTERVIEW: climate conference in Peru

Date:  11 December 2014

SHADOW MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MARK BUTLER: Overnight we’ve seen reports emerge from Lima, the climate conference in Peru, that the Abbott Government has engaged in a series of lectures to other countries about what the rest of the world should be doing on climate change. Well a lecture from the Abbott Government on climate change has about as much credibility as a lesson in good parenting skills from Darth Vader. This after all the government that used 2014 as a year of going backwards on climate change. They’ve abolished a cap on carbon pollution, the targets to reduce Australia’s carbon pollution by 2020 and 2050 and they’ve launched a shameful attack on renewable energy despite promising not to do so before the last election. Julie Bishop frankly would be much better placed to lecture to the rest of the world on what to do about climate change if her own government had even a shred of credibility in this area. 

JOURNALIST: Andrew Robb says Australia may not sign up to a trading deal if competitors aren’t doing their part, what’s your response to that? 

BUTLER: Well the entire world has to do its part. All of the world is [inaudible] I’m sure, in good faith with the view to striking a good global agreement next year. Australia must be a part of that. Tony Abbott’s government’s own domestic approach to this is not a good start to those negotiations. But all of the world needs to take appropriate action to deal with the threat of climate change. 

JOURNALIST: Is the Government’s faking its environmental protection? 

BUTLER: Well the record of the Abbott Government is absolutely appalling. There has not been a government in the history of Australia with a worse environmental record than this government. Particularly on climate change, but on a whole range of other areas on environmental protection as well, so they should use this summer to reflect on their approach to climate change and environmental protection [inaudible] 

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] 

BUTLER: Well the entire world needs to do what [inaudible]. But to say China are doing nothing is just ignoring the facts. China has in place now eight emissions trading schemes, while Tony Abbott’s abolished Australia’s emissions trading scheme. The only country in the world to dismantle a climate change policy. 

JOURNALIST: Do you think the UN climate fund commitment is a sign there are cracks appearing in the Government’s stance on climate change? 

BUTLER: Well this is a humiliating back down on a fund that Tony Abbott described as ‘socialism masquerading as environmentalism’. I’m glad that the Government has finally decided to contribute to a fund that every other advanced country in the world [inaudible] but it is a long way from taking serious action on climate change. 

Thank you very much.