2020-12-08
There is now a serious question as to whether the Prime Minister has led Parliament, said Greens Leader, Adam Bandt.
Mr Bandt was today gagged by the Government while seeking to compel the Prime Minister to confirm Australia’s attendance at the UN Climate Ambition Summit. Last week, Adam Bandt asked the PM in question time about Australia’s attendance status and Scott Morrison told the Parliament that he would attend and speak, but reports emerged today that Australia is not invited to this weekend’s UN Climate Ambition Summit.
Labor supported the Liberals’ move to gag the Greens in the Senate when Greens Senate Leader, Larissa Waters, sought to compel an answer from the government.
“First Scott Morrison lied about Kevin Rudd, and now he may have misled Parliament about climate action as well,” Mr Bandt said.
“Last week, the Prime Minister said that he was going to the Climate Ambition Summit and that he’d have a lot to say. Now it looks like his attendance was never confirmed and that he may have misled Parliament.
“You’re only invited to the Climate Ambition Summit if you’re promising to do more and lift your climate ambition. It appears Scott Morrison’s vow to not cheat by using ‘carryover credits’ isn’t enough to earn him an invitation, especially when countries like the UK are bringing plans to reduce emissions by 68% by 2030.
“Today, we moved in the House and the Senate to compel the Prime Minister to outline whether he will be attending, and table any documents he’s received from the event organisers. The government gagged us in the House and Labor voted with the Liberals in the Senate.
“This is embarrassing. Everyone else is going to the party this weekend, Scott Morrison may have failed to score an invite, and instead of admitting it, it seems he’s misleading parliament.
“We need the Prime Minister to fess up: are you speaking at the summit not?”