From Labor’s ambitious, but many will say unrealistic 2035, emissions reduction target, to failures in Pacific diplomacy, population pressure, concerns around social media regulation. It was a whopper of a week in politics last week and with key debates unfolding on you name it – energy security, migration, online safety. Let’s hear from our Shadow Minister for Immigration, Senator Paul Scarr, about our weekly Canberra Conversation segment on a Monday. Good morning to you.
Senator Scarr
Good morning, Tim, Great to be with you and your listeners.
Tim Webster
Well, it was the news of the day. The 2035 emissions target has been released by the government somewhere between 62 and 70%. Look at the concerns around the data and the modeling and mainly around the price point. I mean really the word ‘may’ was used often, so is it a target or just a guess?
Senator Scarr
I don’t think it’s achievable. That’s the main point. You can make that assessment just by looking at the targets for 2030 which was still about the same level of emissions as when the Coalition lost government and also Tim, electricity prices instead of going down $275, which is what Prime Minister Albanese promised, they’re actually up $1,300 a year. This is the issue all of your listeners are grappling with in terms of the cost of electricity, small businesses are trying to manage with the cost of electricity where it is and of course, our biggest employers are questioning whether or not they can continue operations here, or whether or not they need to move offshore.
Tim Webster
Chris Bowen was on Insiders on the weekend and he wouldn’t even commit to any kind of a target, really and we’re being told what to do Paul by climate authorities on the other side of the world, and you know, people say that Australia’s emissions are 1% but if you make it per capita, it’s more than that. I mean, they’re just numbers. I mean people have got an electricity bill to pay so that they can’t jump over.
Senator Scarr
Exactly, and that cost, which is a major, major issue, the government hasn’t released the modeling, hasn’t released its estimates with respect to cost impact and that really is unforgivable given the strain that Australian people are under in terms of this cost of living crisis so it’s just another disappointment from the Albanese Labor Government.
Tim Webster
Now, Foreign Policy and Albo was over in the Pacific trying to get a deal with Vanuatu and PNG, and couldn’t get either and really it became quite farcical in PNG – they couldn’t get a quorum to vote and then as you know, consulting with China about what to do. I mean the whole thing is shambolic, isn’t it?
Senator Scarr
Well, Tim, I lived and worked in Papua, New Guinea for two and a half years between 1999 and 2001, so I can tell you, you don’t have a deal until you have a deal. So don’t announce something unless you’ve got everyone’s signature on the page and I think Albo learned that lesson this week, and it’s just another disappointment and this is a key relationship. Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea is absolutely key to our region. PNG is a country with 10 million people, our closest neighbor, and I think we would have expected better from our Prime Minister in terms of making sure he had his ducks in a row before making announcements in PNG.
Tim Webster
We’re throwing money at them for a rugby league team and any number of things and still can’t get a deal going. Now your area of expertise/portfolio. New data shows Australia’s population surged to 27.5 million. Migration is still well above pre pandemic levels, and it’s half a million if you add everybody in. So, what are we going to do about this? Because every time you mention that you’ve got a problem with Immigration, you get accused of being a racist. It’s not that, I think with most Australians, it’s just look after the people we’ve got first. So have migration in line with housing targets, infrastructure, and services. I just don’t understand it, Paul, I really don’t.
Senator Scarr
Well, we have that population growth figure. That net overseas migration figure is still 100,000 above pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, 100,000 above and the government hasn’t demonstrated any long-term planning to get that figure down to pre pandemic levels. So again, we’re waiting for answers from the government. The government has been terribly disappointing about this issue as it has been on a range of issues, and we still don’t have any evidence of long-term planning as to how they’re going to get that figure down to pre-covid levels.
Tim Webster
Yeah, and it disappoints me, it does, and it’s not just the government, it’s quite a few broadcasters around the place will immediately accuse you of being racist. Now, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price probably misspoke when she mentioned Indians specifically and that cohort, but I think for most Australians, t’s not who it is, it’s how many and most of us just think – could we just please look after the people we’ve got. There won’t be a pause, so there’ll be an intake of some description but if you go back to even before the Tony Abbott years, wasn’t the level somewhere around 60-70,000 a year, something like that?
Senator Scarr
It has increased since John Howard became Prime Minister. There is no question that there has been an increase. At the same time, we’re suffering skill shortages in key areas. Tim and this are another question we’ve got to ask ourselves. Why aren’t we producing enough chefs in our country? Why aren’t we producing enough tradies? Why aren’t we producing enough nurses and teachers? I think that’s the other side of the equation we need to look at in terms of skill shortages.
Tim Webster
I had some very good friends over for Barbie on Friday, and one of their young boys is looking for something to do and I said, become an apprentice carpenter because you’ll have a job forever.
Senator Scarr
Mate, he should listen to you! He should get his mates together. In fact, not just him. When I have discussions with friends’ kids, I say, get all your mates together – you become a carpenter, you become an electrician, you become a plumber and you’ll be unbeatable.
Tim Webster
Look at one final one – I know the Prime Minister is spruiking all of this stuff at the UN. Our social media ban for the under sixteens. The intent is right from the E-Safety Commissioner and the Government. I’m just starting to think how workable this is going to be, Paul.
Senator Scarr
There are real concerns around people’s privacy in terms of how much information they have to give over to international internet service providers when they’re accessing the internet and I know a lot of people are concerned about that and the other concern people have is we have a position called the E Safety Commissioner, and they have a lot of power in relation to setting these rules. and from my perspective, we need to be really careful. It doesn’t matter what the powers are, but we need to be careful about delegating these powers to government officials, as opposed to parliamentarians being responsible.
Tim Webster
Yeah, good on you. Always good to talk to you on a Monday mate. Thank you.
Senator Scarr
All right. Thanks, Tim. Have a good week.
