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The release of a new report shows only the Greens have a climate policy in line with the science.
The Climate Council report, Aim High, Go Fast, which drew from new data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identifies the need for 75% emissions reduction from Australia by 2030 – in line with the Greens policy but 3 times the Coalition’s current target (26-28%). Meanwhile the Labor party has no articulated 2030 target at all.
The Greens announced updated targets in June 2020 which match the ambition outlined in the new report.
Today the Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, called on the government and opposition to accept science-based targets of 75% by 2030 and net zero by 2035 ahead of the Climate Summit hosted by US President Joe Biden.
“The reality is stark and should be a call to drastic action for anyone who acknowledges the science,” Greens Leader Adam Bandt said.
“A tripling of our target is the only way to have any chance of keeping within our carbon budget.
“There is nowhere for the Liberals and Labor to hide. To have any credibility on climate they need to adopt these targets and rapidly transition out of gas and coal.
“For politicians that want to be honest with coal communities and the Australian public at large, this report reiterates what that honesty looks like. If you don’t have a plan to get out of gas and coal, your climate plan is a sham.
“The repeal of the successful Greens-Labor price on carbon has proven to be an act of economic and environmental sabotage. If we had continued on that trajectory we would be marching into these global summits as players in the new green economy, but instead we’re a target of ridicule and potential sanctions.
“The good news is that the rest of the world are lifting their ambition, but that makes the Australian government’s position a diplomatic as well as a climate risk,” Bandt said.

The Australian Government is getting on with the job of rolling out COVID-19 vaccines to regional, remote and rural Australia, with almost 500 facilities in New South Wales signed up to administer the vaccine.
Federal Regional Health Minister and Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton today visited a clinic in Gunnedah, NSW where the rollout is underway.
“I’m pleased to be at Barber Street Practice in Gunnedah to visit one of the many GP clinics across rural Australia which has signed up to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations,” Minister Coulton said.
“Everyone, no matter where they live in Australia, will be offered a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is free and the consult appointment for patients to receive their vaccinations is also free.”
The Government has established almost 1,500 primary care vaccination sites in rural Australia to administer vaccines under phase 1b to support Australians living in rural, regional and remote communities.
“Although cases of the virus have remained low in rural Australia, the Government’s targeted COVID-19 vaccine program will keep communities, like Gunnedah, safe,” Minister Coulton said.
“GP clinics, like this, provide a great service to their local community, as do all doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health professionals living and working in country Australia.
“I’m pleased to see so many people in rural, regional and remote Australia continue to be eager to get the jab when it’s their turn.”
The COVID-19 vaccination program is one of the largest logistical exercises in Australia’s history – protecting the lives of millions of people across the country.
The Government is working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services, general practices, state and territory governments, Primary Health Networks, General Practitioner-led Respiratory Clinics and community pharmacies, to ensure that everyone living outside our major cities has access to COVID-19 vaccinations if they choose to.
Recent updated advice from the vaccine expert taskforce, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation to the Government is that the risk of a very specific blood clotting side effect from the AstraZeneca vaccine is four to six in one million people.
This is a rare, but serious side effect of this particular vaccine so on that basis the recommendation is that it is preferred that the Pfizer vaccine be provided to adults under the age of 50.
The Government is working through this implication with the states and territories as an urgent priority.
Minister Coulton said it was important to note the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine remains highly effective at preventing death and severe illness among people who have contracted COVID-19—and the incidence of this blood-clotting syndrome is very rare.
For more information about the Australian Government’s COVID-19 vaccine strategy, visit health.gov.au.

Labour force figures released today by the ABS show that the Australian labour market continued to recover strongly in March 2021, with employment increasing by a robust 70,700 over the month, exceeding all market expectations.
There are now a record 13,077,600 Australians in work, with the level of employment now 74,300 (or 0.6 per cent) above its pre-COVID level in March 2020 and 947,100 (or 7.8 per cent) higher than the trough in the labour market recorded in May 2020.
The increase in employment over the month was due, entirely, to a rise in part-time jobs, which increased by 91,500 (or 2.2 per cent) in March, to a record high of 4,203,400. Part-time employment is now 76,800 (or 1.9 per cent) above the level recorded in March 2020.
While full-time employment fell by 20,800 (or 0.2 per cent) over the month, to 8,874,200 in March 2021, the decline this month was not surprising, given the five consecutive monthly increases totalling 359,600 recorded between October 2020 and February 2021.
Women accounted for the vast majority of the rise in employment in March, up by 55,400 (or 0.9 per cent), to a record high of 6,229,600 in March 2021, while male employment also rose, by 15,300 (or 0.2 per cent).
Aggregate hours worked continued to increase in March, up by 38.3 million hours (or 2.2 per cent), and are now 21.8 million hours (or 1.2 per cent) above the level recorded in March 2020.
The level of unemployment in Australia fell by 27,100 (or 3.4 per cent) over the month, to 778,100 in March 2021, but remains 62,100 (or 8.7 per cent) higher than it was a year ago.
The unemployment rate also decreased over the month, by 0.2 percentage points, to 5.6 per cent, but is still above the 5.2 per cent recorded in March 2020.
The stronger labour market conditions that continued into March also encouraged more people to enter the labour market, with the participation rate increasing by 0.2 percentage points over the month, to an historic high of 66.3 per cent in March 2021, above the 65.9 per cent recorded a year ago.
The rise in overall participation was driven, entirely, by women, with the female participation rate increasing by 0.4 percentage points over the month, to a record high of 61.8 per cent in March 2021.
The Government welcomes today’s positive labour force results, but acknowledges the economic and labour market fallout from COVID-19 will continue for some time to come. The Government has provided unprecedented direct economic support to help rebuild the economy and put Australia back on the road to recovery.
This includes record levels of investment in skills and training, new infrastructure projects, tax cuts, unprecedented business investment incentives and new targeted support, such as the $1.2 billion aviation and tourism package.
The Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, described as ‘key’ to saving jobs by the OECD, will continue to create employment opportunities in Australia and will help to secure this country’s economic and labour market future.

Australian Greens Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said today the Government’s plans to stall the introduction of compulsory independent assessments was an acknowledgement of the broad opposition to the controversial changes from disabled people and peak advocacy organisations.
“It’s pretty clear that the new NDIS Minister has seen the writing on the wall about compulsory independent assessments,” Steele-John said, “Which is a direct result of pressure from our community, who have been campaigning against them from the very beginning!”
“But, the Liberals have a track record of introducing dodgy legislation, pushing it back due to community pressure only to re-introduce it later on when everyone’s guard is down.
“This is exactly the same tactics this government used to ram the racist cashless debit card legislation through the Senate in the final hours before we parted for Christmas break at the end of last year, and it is exactly what I anticipate they will do with these changes to our NDIS.
“We must not back down now. Earlier this week we saw proof – in the form of a leaked internal document – that Scott Morrison and the Liberals are trying to kick disabled people off the NDIS and cut money out of our plans because they think that disabled people are a financial burden.
“When the plan to introduce compulsory independent assessments was announced, our community said very clearly that this proposal was just a smokescreen for blocking access and cutting support.
“Scott Morrison, the Liberals and their mates in the agency told us we were being ridiculous; they told us these changes were about “consistency” and “fairness”. We knew they were lying and now we have proof.
“Let’s be clear – the Morrison government has been gaslighting disabled people for years about their plans for the NDIS. Why would we trust them now when they say they will consider the evidence and feedback from the second Independent Assessment trial before making a decision about the future of these changes?
“As disabled people our concerns, conclusions and instincts are so often dismissed. Today’s announcement is a reminder that our collective bullshit detector is more than a match for this trash-fire government!”