Independent ACT senator David Pocock is open to backing Labor’s 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 target if it has “integrity”.
While Senator Pocock wants to see a higher target, he would welcome the less ambitious goal to ensure action started on combating climate change.
“I want to see a target with integrity,” Senator Pocock told ABC’s Insiders on Sunday.
“There’s some real concerns about the way that we’re actually getting to whatever target we set and that will be my focus.”
He said it was important to legislate and start moving the target forward.
“I’m committed to being constructive when it comes to action, to make sure we legislate something, and look at other ways how to ramp that up over time,” Senator Pocock said.
This could still allowing new fossil fuel projects to go ahead.
He said there would be “exciting opportunities” for the industry but also regional communities reliant on the sector would need support.
“We have wasted a decade and there’s a lot of work to be done in this space,” Senator Pocock said.
He is concerned about how Labor would achieve its 43 per cent target and wants to review the mechanisms in place.
This includes cleaning up the Emissions Reductions Fund, which rewards companies for projects that cut carbon emissions.
But recent allegations of fraud have caused Labor to launch an independent, six month review into the fund.
Senator Pocock’s openness to Labor’s less ambitious emissions reduction target comes as Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie suggests she’s flexible on the 2030 goal.
Senator Lambie told Nine newspapers she and her new colleague in parliament, Tammy Tyrell, had “huge decisions” to make.
“For us, it’s like, what does it look like to put in 43 per cent? Can we go a little bit harder? And if so, what impact is that going to have?,” she said.
“We want to get it right the first time, and if it means that we can add a little bit more or we need to lose a little bit, that’s what we need to look at.”
Senator Pocock and Senator Lambie have expressed concerns about the need to ease power bills for Australians, with the former saying there was money to be saved by companies switching to renewables.
By Finbar O’Mallon in Canberra
