Nationals leader Matt Canavan says Australia should stay in the Paris Agreement, but has rejected backing a free trade deal with Europe he says will bind the country to net zero.
The Queensland senator, who recently announced his bid for pre-selection for the lower-house seat of Capricornia in central Queensland, said it was important to take measures to reduce emissions where the country could afford it.
“I think we should take measures to reduce emissions over time. It’s perfectly reasonable, in a way that doesn’t hurt our economy,” he said on ABC’s Insiders.
“What we can’t afford is a mad pursuit of net zero.”
The government has set a legislated target to bring down greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Senator Canavan said the EU free trade deal would legally bind Australia to the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty, which goes beyond our current commitments.
The provisional text of the deal “includes the obligation to refrain from any act or omission which materially defeats the object and purpose of the Paris Agreement” and that each party shall promote “measures that contribute to the transition to a net zero and low greenhouse gas emission, sustainable circular economy and climate-resilient development”.
While Senator Canavan was supportive of Australia staying in the Paris Agreement, he said this was “not what we have signed up to”.
“The binding commitments in Paris amount to, having a policy to reduce emissions, taking measures to meet those targets and then reporting against that,” he said.
“The purpose and objects [of the Paris Agreement] go further. They include a broad object of carbon neutrality in the second half of the century.
“So what the government is trying to do here is use the EU free trade deal as a backdoor way to bind Australia to net zero.”
Senator Canavan added that he wanted to be “constructive” about the free trade deal and has texted Trade Minister Don Farrell to discuss the details.
“He’s been talking to me through the media … I texted Don the other day and we’ll try and catch up. I’m happy to be constructive,” he said.
Senator Farrell has previously said the free trade agreement would yield $10 billion worth of trade and that “there is no renegotiation here”.
It is understood the trade deal reaffirms existing climate obligations.
Senator Canavan has repeatedly said his party would not support the agreement in its current form, arguing it is a raw deal for farmers, particularly those in the dairy industry.
“I can’t sign off on a deal that wipes out Australian dairy farmers, exposes them to unfair competition, because this deal does not deal with the massive European subsidies that go to dairy — the cheese mountains that result from that — and our dairy industry would be sacrificed,” he said.
The Minerals Council has said the deal would benefit companies dealing in critical minerals, which are facing heavy competition from China, by removing tariffs on exports to Europe.
Senator Canavan acknowledged the deal would benefit some industries, but said a local critical minerals company in his region had never mentioned European tariffs, instead saying the carbon tax was a bigger issue.
When asked if he would back a nuclear-powered data centre in the electorate he hopes to one day represent, the Queensland senator said he would welcome it, but the location was always dependent on the will of the local community.
“I’d welcome nuclear power here every day of the week,” he said.
“I’d much prefer a nuclear power station next door to me and a 300-metre wind turbine.”
The prime minister is due to fly to Türkiye for the UN climate summit COP31 this week.
Source: www.abc.net.au
