Net zero division a test for Speakman

ABC NEWS (Australia)

NSW Opposition leader Mark Speakman spoke to the ABC this week, discussing net zero, metro plans and his leadership.

Transcript

00:00G'day, how are you?

00:03How are you?

00:04Thanks for making your time.

00:11Mark Speakman, thanks for your time.

00:12Thanks, Nick.

00:13The Federal Liberals are considering following the Nationals

00:17and dropping their commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

00:21Is the State Coalition still fully committed to that target?

00:24Well, I'm fully committed to that target.

00:26We adopted that net zero by 2050 target when I was the Environment Minister.

00:31I think businesses in New South Wales want predictability.

00:34They want stability.

00:35They want certainty.

00:36And whatever my Federal colleagues decide to do,

00:38I'm not going to be commenting on the sidelines,

00:40but make it very clear in New South Wales

00:43we are committed to a pragmatic, non-ideological approach

00:47and that involves net zero by 2050.

00:49And that involves the National Party as well?

00:51Well, look, I've had no signs

00:54that any Coalition partners want to depart from that in New South Wales.

00:59That's not to say, though, we're happy with the way

01:01the electricity roadmap is being rolled out by this government.

01:04Farmers and others are upset at the lack of consultation,

01:07at changing transmission line routes.

01:09Communities feel like they're not being properly compensated

01:12when transmission lines, wind farms and solar farms

01:15appear in their neighbourhoods.

01:16So there's plenty of ways I think we can improve

01:18the implementation of an electricity roadmap.

01:20Plenty of ways we can improve the journey,

01:22but the destination is still the same.

01:25In March, we will be a year out from the election.

01:28The latest polling suggests you'll not only lose,

01:31but you might actually go backwards.

01:33So your colleague, Kelly Sloan, she doesn't want to challenge you,

01:37but are you reaching a point where, for the sake of the party,

01:40you'd consider resigning and giving her a full good year to make inroads?

01:46Look, I'm determined to be there in March 2027.

01:50I am focused on the job and I'm focused on the issues that matter.

01:53I guess we are really reaching the pointy end, though, aren't we?

01:56So I guess I'm just...

01:57Pointy end started the day after the last election.

01:59Sure, but I mean, is there a cut-off, though,

02:01at which your polling either improves

02:03or you do consider handing over to someone else?

02:06Look, polling will go up and down, and the best way,

02:10the best form of defence, if you like, is attack,

02:12and that means developing new policies, rolling them out

02:15and reminding people that this is a government

02:19that, for all its spin and for all its style,

02:21is actually not doing very much.

02:24A big contrast between Chris Minns and me

02:26is he has ruled out any new metros

02:28beyond cutting the ribbons on Liberals and Nationals projects.

02:31We will build more metros because Sydney is growing

02:34and you just need to...

02:36You need to pedal to avoid falling off the bike.

02:39If you're stationary, you just won't cope with growing demand.

02:42Well, on metros then,

02:44because this is going to clearly be a point of difference

02:47at the election,

02:48will you reveal precisely where you will build this metro

02:52or will you go to the polls with that as an open question?

02:55Look, I anticipate we'll be giving the people in New South Wales

02:59an indication of exactly where these metros will go,

03:02the sequencing, the timing,

03:04the order in which they're going to be built and when

03:06and how we're going to pay for it.

03:08You anticipate.

03:09So, I mean, will you or won't you?

03:11Well, that's my intention.

03:12My intention is to do that.

03:13It seems like you're leaving yourself a bit of wriggle room, though.

03:15So, I mean, what are the factors you're waiting for?

03:17Why wouldn't you be able to say to the electorate

03:20where you would build it?

03:21Well, we've got to complete our research on financing

03:23and also see what the state of the budget is.

03:25The budget continues to deteriorate under this government.

03:28We're looking at a 43% increase in net debt under this government

03:32and we want to have as up-to-date an idea of where the budget is

03:36and where the budget is heading before we commit to detail.

03:39When it comes to metros, I mean, you could go into debt to pay for one.

03:43You could also privatise a public asset.

03:46Mike Baird went to an election promising to lease the polls and wires

03:50to pay for much of the infrastructure, the new infrastructure we now see in Sydney.

03:54Do you think you could win a similar argument?

03:57Well, we'll see, but what I will be doing is being transparent.

04:01What Mike did in 2015 was being completely transparent

04:04with the people of New South Wales and that's what I'll be.

04:07Another controversial thing that potentially could be coming before parliament

04:11in the coming weeks is voluntary assistance dying.

04:14One of your MPs, Susan Carter, has proposed an idea

04:18so that nursing homes linked to religious organisations

04:23could essentially send residents away

04:25if they want to take part in voluntary assisted dying.

04:29Is that something you're still going to support?

04:32Well, on issues like this, on abortion and use in nature, life and death issues,

04:37traditionally the Liberal Party MPs have a conscience vote

04:41and on this occasion will have a conscience vote.

04:43If it ever gets to the Legislative Assembly,

04:45I think that's an enormous if.

04:47My current intention would be to vote for it.

04:49Can you see how it would be very distressing

04:51for someone who thought that this was going to be their home

04:53until they died to be sent somewhere else?

04:58I can understand that.

05:00I can understand people saying that it's harsh and it's cruel,

05:03but on the other hand, you've got to think of the feelings

05:05of other residents in the facility as well.

05:08So I'm not pretending any of this is easy.

05:11And all these sorts of issues involve a balance of competing rights,

05:16but I think, on balance, this is a fair approach.

05:19It doesn't stop someone choosing to engage in voluntary assisted dying.

05:23They can organise it whilst they're there.

05:26They can't be obstructed or impeded from leaving it.

05:30It just can't be done on the premises of a faith-based institution

05:33that has a conscientious objection to it.

05:35Mark Speckman, thanks for your time.

05:37Thanks, Nick.

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