SUBJECTS: Government voting to protect Christian Porter from scrutiny; Barnaby Joyce holding Scott Morrison to ransom over climate; COP26.

SENATOR PENNY WONG, SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Firstly, on Christian Porter, where the Government yesterday voted to ensure there wasn't an inquiry, an inquiry into a million-dollar anonymous donation. I just want to say this: Australians deserve a Prime Minister who uses their power for the good of the country. Uses their power to improve the circumstances of Australians. This bloke, Mr Morrison, uses his power to protect his mates, to avoid accountability, and to cover up a million dollars in anonymous donations. So, whatever your political views, I don't think anybody in this country, except maybe the Cabinet, and some members of the Coalition, thinks it's okay for someone to hide a million dollars in donations when they are a member of the Federal Parliament, and a former Cabinet Minister. Happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Where do you think this puts the position of the Speaker? Obviously, the speaker allowed precedent. Does this make it quite awkward?

WONG: Well, I want to say that it is the first time since Federation, I think, I'm a senator but I understand in the House it's the first time since Federation that the Speaker's ruling has not been respected by the government of the day. And that says something about the extent to which Mr Morrison is prepared to trash conventions of our democracy in pursuit of his own political interests. The Speaker is a principled man, and he will make his decision.

JOURNALIST: Given that you've got the issues around Christian Porter, the Government likely to refuse an order for carpark documents to be tabled in the Senate, issues over whether the modelling will be tabled as per Senate orders. Are their broader issues here around transparency in Australia.

WONG: Absolutely. I've been in Parliament a fair while now. And I've never seen a government that has so trashed accountability to the Parliament. Remember, our democracy depends not only on laws and our constitutions, but it does depend on the conventions that are observed by people in the Parliament. And accountability to the Parliament, to the Australian people through the parliament, is a key part of our democracy. That's how Ministers are accountable. I don't think this Government believes that. Certainly, they don't behave in that way.

JOURNALIST: Given that we've got the COP26 Summit coming up in what a week or so's time, the Government, a week out, is only just deciding what its policy is for 2050. The debate will be around 2030, though. Can you see Labor revising a 45% target by 2030?

WONG: You know, they've been in government eight long years, and here we are, desperately trying to land a political deal with Barnaby Joyce, just before you take off for Glasgow. It says something about how much you're actually committed to the issue of climate change, doesn't it? And I do want to say this; Barnaby Joyce and Scott Morrison, they've been standing in the way of climate action for a decade or more. Does anyone really believe that anything they come up with will be anything more than spin? Labor's policy will be clear before the election, but I would say to people: the only way to get action on climate is to change the government.

JOURNALIST: If they do bring legislation about on net zero by 2050, with some of the caveats that the Nats asked for...

WONG: Legislation?

JOURNALIST: Legislation.

WONG: Well, that would be a change in position if they were prepared to legislate because I think they've made clear in the House that they weren't prepared to legislate. I think that is a test of whether or not they're serious about this, whether or not they're prepared to legislate for net zero by 2050.

JOURNALIST: Would Labor seriously consider that policy to vote with that legislation?

WONG: Net zero by 2050? That is our position. It has been our position for some time. But if you're asking do we sign up to the ransom that Barnaby Joyce is currently demanding? No, we don't. And I think the problem will be the ransom is going to be paid by all of you and all of the people that you write for, or do TV for.

Thanks, everyone.

Authorised by Paul Erickson, ALP, Canberra.