$13m to market net-zero emissions policy

The Morrison government spent close to $13m on an ad campaign to advertise its emissions reduction policies, while refusing to release emissions reduction modelling.

Liberal senator Zed Seselja in Senates estimates at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: AAP

The Morrison government spent close to $13m on a marketing campaign to promote its ­emissions-reduction policies, a Senate estimates hearing has heard, while refusing to release modelling that underpins its plan to get to net zero by 2050.

Liberal senator Zed Seselja, on behalf of Energy Minister Angus Taylor, on Monday told the hearing that the modelling would not be tabled to the committee as it was “confidential cabinet information”

“What you’re asking for is for this committee to be able to ­effectively interrogate the ­internal deliberations of the cabinet and that has not been the approach in the past,” Senator Seselja said.

The failure to release the information drew the ire of Nationals senator Matt Canavan, who quizzed government officials about whether the modelling had specifically explored the impact of a net-zero target on regional areas.

“I fully understand the need for cabinet confidence protections,” he said, “but I do fail to see the logic that you cannot answer how the model is structured or how in any way (that could) prejudice the decisions or discussions.”

An official confirmed the department had “looked at regional impacts” through the work. It comes as the junior ­Coalition partner on Sunday agreed to an in-principle target of net-zero emissions by 2050 under terms not been made public as the deal is being finalised by cabinet.

Earlier, Industry Department boss David Fredericks said he could not comment about whether his department provided any advice to the government about concessions demanded by the Nat­ionals in exchange for its support for net zero.

Labor and Greens senators used the hearing to press government officials on the interim 2030 targets, as well as a multimillion-dollar television and social media campaign spruiking renewable energy, carbon capture and storage and agricultural initiatives.

The $12.9m campaign includes more than $488,000 to survey public attitudes towards climate change, as well as “market testing” of the government’s Positive Energy Campaign from September.

Department official Helen Bennet said she was “aware of a case” where Liberal MP Sarah Henderson had posted a tweet that had a “similar message and colour palette” to the campaign.

Ms Bennet took a question on notice about whether using ­electoral funds to advertise the campaign on social media would breach parliamentary rules.

Labor senator Jenny McAllister also sought clarification about which industry groups had been specifically consulted about the commonwealth’s net zero plan.

Department official Jo Evans said stakeholders had been consulted for the Morrison government’s technology road map upon which the COP26 plan is based.

Senator McAllister interpreted the evidence as meaning industry groups had not been consulted about the government’s emissions strategy.

“This is confirming everything we fear about a government entirely addicted to secrecy. You are going to COP with a plan no one has seen,” Senator McAllister said.