SUBJECTS: Execution of an Afghan interpreter; COP26; Morrison-Joyce Government shambles on net zero emissions.
JOURNALIST: Senator, there's been reports this morning that an Afghan interpreter, a former interpreter for the ADF, has been executed by the Taliban. What do you make of that? And does it show that we have failed so many people in Afghanistan?
SENATOR PENNY WONG, SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: First, I want to express my sympathy to the family and friends - this is very distressing news. I don't know the circumstances of this man's visa applications. What I do now is this; I know that Labor, veteran communities, former prime ministers were raising, for months, the need to accelerate getting people who helped us, to safety. We were assured by Minister Payne, by Marise Payne, and by the Government, that they were doing that. Regrettably, we know, too many people didn't get out. I wish the Government had acted sooner.
JOURNALIST: Penny, sorry, apologies for sneaking up on you like that. On Afghanistan - 300 Australian citizens and visa holders remain in the country, according to the Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton. Are you concerned that they remain there?
WONG: Absolutely. And the Government should be up front with precisely how many people, have many Australian visa holders remain in the country. But I would say this; we all knew of the withdrawal months before it occurred. We also knew from the calls from the veteran community, from former Prime Ministers, that we needed to accelerate getting people who helped us out safely. I asked questions about this and the Government assured me, assured the veteran community, assured the public that we were getting people out safely. Well, I wish we'd acted sooner.
JOURNALIST: And just on climate change, and the COP26 summit, what is the point of it, if China, India and Russia are not going to be there?
WONG: Well, the point is the world does have to act on climate. We know that, and we've known that for years. And we need to continue to put pressure on all countries of the world to do the right thing, to make sure they play their part in contributing to reducing global emissions, because we know the cost of the trajectory we are currently on, for our children and for future generations.
JOURNALIST: Just on that, the Government has sort of made clear that resources industries are still going to continue to accelerate, that coal mines will still be open for decades to come. Considering that we're going, that Scott Morrison will presumably be going with a net zero by 2050 target, their focus is on carbon capture and storage. Do you think the international community is going to buy that we are doing enough on climate change?
WONG: The problem is Mr Morrison has no credibility on this. He has no credibility because of what he said previously, including calling renewable energy storage a big banana. He's got no credibility, because whatever plan he comes up with, whatever policy he comes up with, won't be real because it will be something Barnaby Joyce agrees to. Let's be honest, Scott Morrison is being held hostage by Barnaby Joyce, when it comes to climate change.
JOURNALIST: And there's been criticism that all this debate on net zero by 2050 is shadowing over the 2030 debate. Do you agree with that, do you think that we need to increase those targets?
WONG: Two things; first, net zero by 2050 is a critical global target. And the fact that Mr Morrison can't even get to a position where he announces that as government policy, and legislates it, demonstrates that he is not sincere on climate. Of course, we need medium-term targets. We've said the Government should go to Glasgow with a stronger medium-term target.
JOURNALIST: And sorry, just finally, back to the Afghan interpreters, in Afghanistan. What would you like to see happen now? What do you think needs to be the next steps?
WONG: The first thing is at Estimates next week, if not before, the Foreign Minister, and the Defence Minister should give a full explanation of what has occurred, both in relation to this man and more generally. And they should be up front about how many Australian visa holders are still left in Afghanistan.
Thank you.
Authorised by Paul Erickson, ALP, Canberra.
