Environment

Elliot criticised the opposition for climate denialism and highlighted the government's commitment to renewable energy and environmental reform. Elliot stated that renewable energy generation had increased by around 30 per cent since the government was elected in 2022. Elliot argued that the government had delivered major environmental reforms and that the opposition's policies were destructive to the economy and environment.

Birrell argued that the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan had led to perverse outcomes, including riverbank erosion and damage to vegetation due to high summer flows. Birrell stated that excessive water buybacks were treating rivers like waterpipes, damaging both the economy and the environment in his electorate. Birrell also raised concerns about the loss of prime agricultural land to large-scale solar and wind projects, citing community opposition and environmental degradation.

Payne welcomed the government's $14 million investment to address the algal bloom, partnering with the South Australian government. Payne attributed the bloom to climate change and criticised the opposition for ignoring climate science during their decade in government. Payne highlighted the government's efforts to reform environmental laws and achieve net zero, accusing the opposition of blocking progress and promoting nuclear energy as a distraction.

Small criticised the government for being too slow to act on the South Australian algal bloom, comparing it to a hypothetical disaster in a more politically sensitive location. Small argued that the government was ignoring local environmental and economic concerns, particularly regarding the proposed Geographe Bay wind farm in Western Australia. Small cited the CSIRO GenCost report to claim that offshore wind was more expensive than onshore wind and warned of potential ecological and economic failures.

Burns mocked the opposition for raising an environmental matter while facing internal divisions over net zero targets. Burns criticised the former environment minister for attempting to pass legislation that would have removed federal environmental approvals, citing the rejection of the Graeme Samuel review's recommendations. Burns argued that the opposition's record on the environment was abysmal and that they had failed to implement necessary reforms.

McCormack highlighted the need for better recycling and waste management, recalling the former environment minister's focus on landfill issues. McCormack expressed concern that the Murray-Darling Basin Plan was restricting water availability for irrigation, potentially impacting food security. McCormack argued that fish kill events are not solely due to climate change and cited historical examples of natural disasters, suggesting that fuel load management in national parks was also a factor in bushfires.