SUBJECTS: Net zero by 2050; Coalition Government focused on themselves and their pay; electric vehicles; climate change.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Well, the pantomime that the National Party have put the country through over recent weeks is finally over. But we don't know what the rules of the game are. And we don't know what the outcome is. I thought this issue was about lowering emissions. Apparently, it was about increasing the wages of Keith Pitt by putting him back in the Cabinet. It's extraordinary that the National Party, once again, have shown that they are focused on themselves, not focused on the needs of regional Australia. And if anything undermines their rhetoric and the gap would say between what they say and what they actually do, it is that Barnaby Joyce opposes the renewable energy zone in New England, in his own area, that's been put there by the Coalition Government in New South Wales, the Liberal and National Government in New South Wales. The fact is that Scott Morrison, of course, was always, as I've been saying, going to get broad support for the concept of net zero by 2050. But unless he legislates that, then it can't possibly be taken seriously. And the idea that somehow that there's some danger of the Coalition not being able to get that through the Parliament is, of course, a farce. Labor will vote for net zero emissions as our national target by 2050. We've said that consistently, for year after year after year. Now, less than a week before the Glasgow Summit, the Prime Minister will be convening a Cabinet meeting to tick off on a deal which is about the jobs and the pay of National Party ministers.

JOURNALIST: The bottom line is Australia is going to commit to net zero by 2050. Is this the end of the climate wars?

ALBANESE: Well, the climate wars haven't even ended within the National Party. Matt Canavan has been out there opposing this target. Barnaby Joyce, apparently, was the last speaker in the room and said he was opposed to it. Now, when Scott Morrison jets off to Europe, Barnaby Joyce will be the Acting Prime Minister of this country, someone who doesn't support this target as Australia's position. So, it's very clear that the Coalition Government remain divided. They remain in a state of conflict. Their negotiations aren't about good policy. It's all about politics, as everything that this Government does.

JOURNALIST: And you might not be happy with the way they got there, but are you happy with the outcome at least?

ALBANESE: I'm very pleased that the Coalition have adopted Labor's position of net zero by 2050. It'll be interesting to see the way that Scott Morrison spins that their net zero by 2050 is different from Labor's net zero emissions by 2050. But I'm sure he'll manage it. Because Scott Morrison isn't actually looking for consensus and national agreement. Scott Morrison and the Coalition thrive on conflict and on dividing Australia. And they can't even keep their Coalition government together in a coherent way. And we've seen that on full display in recent works. And we'll continue to see that with this proposal that was opposed by the Leader of the National Party, Barnaby Joyce, opposed by Matt Canavan, has been opposed by Bridget McKenzie and others who are senior in the National Party. And of course, was opposed by some people in the Liberal Party as well. We saw a Keith Pitt in the Parliament last week unable to answer straightforward questions about whether he thought this was good for the regions, whether he thought this was good for his industry, even though the resources sector – BHP, Santos, Woodside, Rio Tinto, all of the major players, as well as the Minerals Council of Australia, all supported net zero by 2050 some time ago. This is a Government that is divided, that can't take Australia forward, because they're scared of the present and they're terrified of the future.

JOURNALIST: The package is expected to forecast more use of electric vehicles. You obviously have an electric vehicle policy yourself. Do you at least welcome that element if that is what it is?

ALBANESE: Well, we haven't seen the elements. Labor has a policy to make electric vehicles cheaper. Labor has a policy to support new technology. This is a Government that described electric vehicles as 'ending the weekend', that described renewable energy targets as ‘nuts’, and described major batteries storing renewable energy as being as useful as the Big Banana and the Big Prawn. Australians know that Scott Morrison has been dragged kicking and screaming towards reality in 2021 about a 2050 target. And now they know that in the negotiations that have taken place, they have all been about themselves and their own politics and indeed their own pay rather than about the interests of the Australian economy, Australian jobs, and Australia's future. Thanks very much.

ENDS