Minister, thanks for your time.
Thanks for having me, Leigh.
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On energy policy, is the Federal Government going to pay to keep the Liddell power station open, the one that AGL wants to close in 2023?
Blame media for asking questions and go to talking points:
Well, I think everyone's getting a bit ahead of themselves here with some speculative reporting, Leigh.
[…] the way to get prices down to ensure […] affordable reliable energy and [that] industry in Australia continues to prosper and be successful…
I notice you're not answering the question.
… in the future is to get […] more supply into the market and avoid supply leaving.
Are you going to pay to keep the Liddell power station open?
So I'm not going to speculate on the outcomes of the Liddell Taskforce
because I already have a good idea of what they will be, given what the Taskforce is supposed to be examining.
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What do you think is the timeframe for Australia to transition away from coal?
The same time as it would take for every human alive today to be turned into fossil fuel.
Well, I mean, it's not about coal, it's about emissions. […] we need to play our part in helping to reduce global emissions.
But I'm actually not asking about emissions, I just want to ask about coal because AGL says coal should be done in about 50 years. […] South 32, BHP, Rio Tinto, they're getting away from coal now.
[…] as a relevant minister, what do you think is the timeframe in which Australia is going to be getting away from coal?
Well, I understand you're asking that question but
I want to talk about emissions today and not coal, even though normally I would want to talk about coal and not emissions, and
the point I'm making to you is it's about emissions and emissions come from much more than coal and they come from much more than the electricity sector…
including farting livestock, as comrade Barnaby already discussed in a pleasant chat with Joel Fitzgibbon last week.
But I'm asking about coal. I'm just narrowly asking about coal.
… I know you are
i.e. I am effectively giving you the finger
and my point is there's many ways to reduce emissions. […] 2020 targets we'll beat easily, 2030 targets, and driving emissions beyond that.
Driving emissions downwards, not upwards I think.
On your point that the 2030 targets we'll meet easily, what's your source for that?
Well, the government department. I mean, we are on track already…
But exactly which government department is saying that because I've got figures from various government departments?
My government department. […] We've got a plan laid out to the last tonne as to how we are going to reach our emissions targets
a completely inapt rhetorical device, given that mass is a continuous quantity.
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Do you still maintain that the falsified document that your office distributed about the Sydney City Council's travel bill came from its own website?
Yes, I mean my statement on this was clear from the start and I'd add to that, Leigh…
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[…] This has been considered and closed by two independent police forces. We had the AFP Commissioner today saying the matter is finalised, full stop.
Although my office really really really did nothing wrong, thank Christ the investigation is over. Who cares about the real culprit over at Sydney City Council?
How do you explain the inconsistency between your story and the metadata produced by the Sydney City Council showing that the document as distributed never appeared on their website?
Well, that's a matter for them. […]
It's definitely their fault, but for some reason I don't want an investigation.
But aren't you bothered […]? You have had a lot of trouble because of this and I'm just wondering, aren't you curious yourself as to what that inconsistency is?
Leigh, we've had two independent police forces look at this. […] They have both considered and closed this matter and as I said, the AFP Commissioner today said that the matter is finalised, full stop
which makes two full stops.
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But the New South Wales Police referred the matter to the AFP; the AFP dropped its investigation.
Today the commissioner told a senate estimates committee that the police did not interview the Sydney Lord Mayor; they also didn't interview you.
Given that what happened damaged your reputation, […] you must be disappointed at the lack of a thorough investigation?
Haha, Leigh, two police forces have looked at this. It's been pretty thorough
or about as thorough as the look I gave those highly reasonable spending figures in that document which my office had absolutely nothing to do with…
They didn't interview you, they didn't interview the Lord Mayor?
Well, that was a choice they made but it's very clear what the position is here.
The commissioner […] was very clear: it's been finalised and the matter is closed, full stop
which makes three full stops.
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I keep coming back to this. […] You are […] the face of it, […] at the front-line of it. Why aren't you worried about it?
Because I've made a very clear statement on it
namely "My office and I totally did nothing wrong",
[… t]wo police forces have looked at it [and] the matter's closed
which is the perfect outcome for me, the innocent one in all of this. I am eternally grateful to the police commissioner for delivering true justice.
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Minister, thank you very much for joining us this evening.
Thanks for having me, Leigh.