ANGUS TAYLOR: We see data out today saying that our emissions are down 3 per cent annually, and that we've smashed our Kyoto targets by 459 million tonnes. That's almost a year's worth of emissions, there's very few countries in the world that can boast that kind of outcome. Emissions coming down was happening before COVID struck, and this outcome is quite a remarkable one, when so many felt that we were never going to achieve our Kyoto targets. Well, we’ve absolutely smashed them. Emissions this year at 513 million tonnes, are 25 per cent lower than forecasts when we came into government, and we've done that whilst eliminating the carbon tax. This is a remarkable endorsement of our approach, which is to focus on technology not taxation. On making sure that we have the technology in place, so Australians can make the choices to reduce their emissions, but in a way that doesn't put upward pressure on energy costs, electricity prices. As we look forward to 2030, we're already 16.6 per cent down on our 2005 baseline level. We're progressed well towards our 2030 targets. There'll be an update in the coming weeks before Christmas on our 2030 projections, but needless to say these outcomes today tell us that we're already progressing extremely well towards our 2030 target. We meet and beat our targets. We do it in a way that doesn't destroy jobs, doesn't destroy regions, doesn't raise the cost of energy for hardworking Australians.

JOURNALIST: How much of this reduction was COVID responsible for?

ANGUS TAYLOR: It was already happening before COVID. This is the important point.

JOURNALIST: But how much?

ANGUS TAYLOR: I'm not going to break it down, because we’re all still ascertaining the full impact of COVID. That's an ongoing issue. But look, the point here is they were coming down before COVID, and we smashed our Kyoto targets. Very few believed we could do that. Well, we've done it. We've done it, and we've done it handsomely. 459 million tonnes, almost a year's worth of emissions. Emissions this year, 25 per cent below the forecast when we came into government. Labor was going to get to a much higher target outcome than we have achieved, but with a carbon tax. We've got rid of the carbon tax. We've smashed the targets. We've met and beaten them. There's an endorsement of the approach we've taken, and endorsement, of course, of the approach we will continue to take in the coming year.

JOURNALIST: Minister, are you open to considering a net zero target by 2050?

ANGUS TAYLOR: Well, we want to get there as soon as possible. We've been very-

JOURNALIST: But are you open to considering by 2050?

ANGUS TAYLOR: We want to get there as soon as possible, but we'll get there through technology, not taxation. Now, let me be clear about something here. The Paris Agreement requires a Nationally Determined Contribution for 2030. We've laid out today in what came out, the Department has laid out that we're already 16.6 per cent down on our baseline towards that 2030 target. Labor has no target for 2030, no target for 2030. We have a clear target, we're smashing it. We will continue to progress well to that target, I'm very confident of that. And, through technology, we’ll continue to drive down emissions beyond 2030 as well.

JOURNALIST: Isn't it important that we actually know how much COVID has actually contributed to this? Because otherwise, once COVID is over and the emissions go back to where they were, then, in fact, maybe the reductions are not actually as much as we had hoped?

ANGUS TAYLOR: Well, the figures are clear - emissions were already coming down before COVID.

JOURNALIST: Do you know how much?

ANGUS TAYLOR: But I'll tell you – yeah, they were already down a percentage point or more annualised - but look, let me be clear about this, we've seen a continued strength in our export economy through COVID. That is good news. That is fantastic news. Now, there are parts of the economy that have really suffered, and one area where there's been real strength is in some of our key commodity exports. That tells you something of the resilience of our export sectors in this country, and that's a good thing for all Australia.

JOURNALIST: Did you say one per cent?

ANGUS TAYLOR: Around one per cent a year.

JOURNALIST: One per cent – that doesn't seem like a lot for a big country like Australia, considering that climate scientists are saying the next couple of years are the most urgent for climate change. Are you happy with climate change, you are the climate change Minister, is this one per cent - that's not great.

ANGUS TAYLOR: We’re 16.6 per cent down on our 2005 baseline. Our target is 26 per cent; we’ve got ten years to get there.

JOURNALIST: But does that mean-

ANGUS TAYLOR: We’ve got ten years to get there. So we’re making extremely good progress. And look, you know, as I say, there were many people that said we would never achieve our Kyoto targets. We've smashed them. We've absolutely smashed them - 459 million tonnes. The numbers are there on full display today and we've done that without a carbon tax. This is how Liberal National governments go about it. We don't raise the cost of energy, we don't destroy jobs, we maintain strong export sectors and we achieve extraordinary outcomes alongside a strong economy. That is how you do it. Meanwhile, the Labor Party, as I say, don't have a 2030 target. When they do set targets-

JOURNALIST: Minister, you’re in Government though-

ANGUS TAYLOR: Well, I'm telling you the contrast-

JOURNALIST: Are you happy with a one per cent annualised reduction in emissions, as you just said?

ANGUS TAYLOR: I am terribly happy with the outcomes that we've seen in these numbers today and in previous numbers. Emissions are coming down and that's what matters. We’re 16.6 per cent below our baseline level. Well on track for our 2030 targets. As I've explained, that is a great outcome and we’ll continue to deliver good outcomes because we know that the approach we have always taken which is technology, not taxation, in contrast to the Labor Party, in contrast to the alternative options being put up by many people, we get there through technology, not taxation, and that works as we've seen in the numbers coming out today.

JOURNALIST: Would you be happy if emissions went down one per cent again next year. Would that be acceptable to you?

ANGUS TAYLOR: I’ll tell you what, what makes me happy is reaching our targets and we have smashed our 2020 targets and we will progress towards our 2030 targets. We will have an update on the progress towards our 2030 targets coming out in the coming weeks before Christmas, as we do each year. As I say, given the extraordinary progress we've been making here, we have reason to believe that those predictions will be positive.

JOURNALIST: If it was one per cent again next year, would you think that was a good job on your part? Would you consider that a successful year?

ANGUS TAYLOR: We’re doing extremely well. We’re 16.6 per cent down on our 2005 levels - and as I say, the progress has been very good - but the point I'd also make is we've done that with a strong export economy.  Now, we saw the export economy being badly hurt under the previous government. This is an important contrast. We have met and beaten and smashed our Kyoto targets, smashed our Kyoto targets whilst maintaining a strong export economy. Indeed, we built the world's largest LNG export sector during that time and yet still achieved those outcomes. That's how we go about it. That's how we'll continue to go about it. This is about making sure there’s affordable, reliable energy, strong manufacturing growth, strong mining growth, strong jobs growth more generally across our economy.

JOURNALIST: Minister, you talk about the export sector. We've seen China in the last few months target Australian barley, target Australia wine. What if they were to target Australian iron ore, coal? Which is already sitting off the shore. Is that not creating a new concern for an export sector that you say has been booming during this time?

ANGUS TAYLOR: Well, look, I'm not going to speculate on some of those propositions you're putting, but what I will say is we are obviously concerned about the actions that China has taken. Of course, the Trade Minister has been out this morning putting our position on these issues. They are a matter of concern. But, growth of our export sector is to the benefit of ourselves and our customer countries and that includes China. That's how trade works. It's good for our customers, it's good for us. We want to see it continue to grow.

Media contact:

Minister Taylor's office: 02 6277 7120