THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
TELEVISION INTERVIEW
SUNRISE WITH NATALIE BARR
MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2024
SUBJECTS: NEWCASTLE CLIMATE CHANGE PROTEST; BALI NINE; FOOD ADDITIVES IN FAIRY BREAD.
NATALIE BARR: Newcastle Harbour has seen a day of pretty high drama with more than 170 climate change protesters arrested for blocking Australia's largest coal port. All shipping was temporarily paused and a bulk carrier was even forced to turn back because of the disruptions as police broke up the flotilla with force. There are claims now of it becoming an election issue, with Greens leader Adam Bandt warning the government to stop approving new coal and gas mines. For their take, let's bring in Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce. Good morning.
Tanya, you're in the hot seat here. They say this is the opposite of climate change. This is reckless. Seven new coal mine developments or extensions approved under your watch. What's your message?
TANYA PLIBERSEK, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: Well, I've approved 10 times more renewable energy projects than coal projects, 65 renewable energy projects. I'm the first Environment Minister to stop a coal mine because of the impact it could have had on water going onto the Great Barrier Reef. I think the real issue today are these protests. And what I'd say about the protests is, of course in Australia you've got a right to peacefully and safely express your view. But if you're breaking the law, if you're endangering others, if you're diverting police resources, then I think you need to face the consequences of that.
BARR: What do you say about their cause though? That you've approved the coal mine extensions and they don't like you for it.
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Yeah, well, you don't go into politics to be liked, do you? I think the important message here is that I've approved 10 times more renewable energy projects than coal projects because the Australian economy is changing and the global economy is changing. We want to be a renewable energy superpower. And that transformation is happening right now in Australia and it's happening globally.
BARR: Barnaby, what would you like to say?
BARNABY JOYCE: Well, first thing, intermittent power precincts, the swindle factories, the wind turbines, the fields of photovoltaic black. The transmission lines are our enemy and they provide no jobs. Otherwise you'd be vastly more jobs in Glen Innes but they don't and it's just a complete rip off to overseas multi billionaires. But I tell you what, if you want this to be worth any money, then we have to put something on a boat and send it overseas. Look around your house right now. Your television, your watch, your clothes, your car, the fuel in the car all comes in from overseas and somebody somewhere has to be putting something on the boat and sending it in the other direction, otherwise this is merely a piece of plastic. And that dear folks, is things such as coal and gas and iron ore and wool and wheat and cotton or a lot of evil things you don't like. And so what these people are doing are going out in the harbour and saying, 'I want Australia to be poor'. They never suggest what pensions they want to remove or what schools they don't want built. They don't go out with that on their placard. They just go out and say, I want Australia to be poor because I have a selfish desire that I can inflict on you, my worldview without really accepting the consequences financially of what that means.
BARR: There are – there is more green power, I think nearly 40 per cent of Australia's total energy is solar, wind and hydro. So, it is increasing, but we will move on.
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: About 42, yep.
JOYCE: Dearest power in the world but go on, it's a great idea, dearest power in the world.
BARR: The Prime Minister is under growing pressure this morning. The details of a transfer deal to bring back five of the Bali Nine drug traffickers to Australia from Indonesia. Tanya, what are we giving up to get this deal across the line?
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, Nat, I don't think it helps delicate negotiations to be speculating in public. What I would say is that wherever Australians get in trouble overseas, the Australian Government tries to help them. And I'm sure that the families of these remaining Australians that are in jail in Bali would love to see them on Australian soil as soon as possible. But any sort of speculation really is counterproductive at a time like this.
BARR: Do Australians have a right to know what we've given up though?
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, Nat, I don't think it's appropriate to be talking about any discussions between the Australian Government and the Indonesian Government at this time. It is a really delicate thing whenever Australians are in trouble overseas, Australian consular services go out of their way to help. These people have been in jail for almost 20 years now in Bali, and I'm sure that their families and many Australians would like to see them back on Australian soil.
BARR: Barnaby, what's your view on this?
JOYCE: Well, you hear about the crime and of course you're curious because it's hurts so many people. You meet the parents and of course you feel a sense of sympathy and compassion and, you know, I'll leave it up to the Minister, the Shadow Minister, to discuss that issue. I think my participation from here really doesn't add to the conversation. So, you know, I'll leave it up to them. Michaelia has every right to ask questions and - but I don't think it's assisted by me.
BARR: Yeah, so, just for people's information, that's Michaelia Cash from the Opposition asking what Australia has given up in this deal to get the five back after they're serving nearly 19 years, I think nearly 20 years in Indonesian prisons.
Okay. Finally, as the country celebrated National Fairy Bread Day over the weekend, there are now calls for a crackdown on the iconic kids favourite because of an artificial colour inside the sprinkles. Harmful dyes called amaranth and tartrazine. One of which is already banned in the US and carries warnings in Europe, is still found in our hundreds and thousands. Our sprinkles. Tanya, did you know about this and is this a legitimate concern?
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, we know that fairy breads are a sometimes food and sometimes I really love a slice of fairy bread. Also a chocolate crackle on occasion. Look, I think as long as we understand that these things are on occasions at a party, I'm gonna keep eating the fairy bread.
BARR: But this, this, this artificial colour that if it's banned in the US, are we – should we putting it, be putting it in our food?
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Well, look, I'm not as scientist. Our food standards authority has approved it in Australia. I think in America, if you think about the volumes of things that people eat, it could be that, you know, in large volumes that you would want to avoid something like this. But if you're talking about a tiny amount on occasion, it could be quite different.
BARR: Maybe they're a bit heavier on the sprinkles.
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: They could be.
BARR: Okay. Barnaby, are you a fairy bread fan?
JOYCE: Well, it was like poverty bread at lunch way back. It was like what you got if you didn't get lunch. But it's – I don't know, mate. Have we seen swathes of people afflicted lying around the front lawn of Parliament House because of their indulgence in fairy bread? I don't think so. There's probably something slightly bad about it. Maybe it should be hundreds and thousands less a couple. I don't know. But it's, I don't know if I'm going to fascinate myself on fairy bread, then I'm probably not really focused on the bigger issues in this building. Knock yourself out.
BARR: No parliamentary inquiry into the food additive?
JOYCE: No. We've got other things to cook.
BARR: You two have got consensus. Wow.
JOYCE: Yes, it's – Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming.
BARR: It took till nearly December.
MINISTER PLIBERSEK: Fairy bread has brought us together.
JOYCE: The fairies have brought us together.
BARR: So beautiful. Thank you, see you next week, who knows what it'll bring.
END
