Anika Wells MP doorstop in Canberra

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

DOORSTOP INTERVIEW

PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA

MONDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2020

SUBJECT: Labor’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

ANIKA WELLS, MEMBER FOR LILLEY: Good morning, I’m Anika Wells, I’m the Member for Lilley, and I’m here today to talk to you about why I ran for parliament, which is to be a good ancestor.  That’s what I talked about in my first speech last year – the need to act on the climate emergency.  Here, in 2020, in February, in this place, the way to be good ancestors is to act urgently for climate change action.  That means for us here in this place in 2020, setting a net zero emissions for 2050, which I’m really proud of.  We committed to these values over the weekend.

I guess what I’m disappointed about is all the modern Liberals over the weekend who have criticized Labor for not having detail.  They criticized Zali Steggall for having no substance, but they themselves have no plan, or I should say, no plan any more.  They have actually had seventeen energy policies, none of which exist anymore.  It’s like that Monty Python dead parrot.  Their policies have ceased to be, and yet instead of doing anything about it, instead of feeling shame and taking the feedback of millions of Australians who are urging all of us in this place to act, they are throwing pot shots at other people and hoping that obfuscation will get them through.  It’s not good enough, and that’s why we’re holding them to account today.

JOURNALIST: Talking about plans and planning, are you planning to have dinner with the Otis Group this week?

WELLS: You know what?  Between you, me, and the three cameras filming this, I think “secret rebel” is the raciest thing I’ve ever been called.  I was a school captain.  Dinner with friends is nice.  This is the best job I’ll ever have, and I love it, but it is all consuming, and that means too many meals a week I am drinking UP&GOs in the car or in the corridor running between things.  So the idea of sitting down for dinner is very nice.

JOURNALIST: There was an element of plotting and planning in some way, that what’s what was reported in the Otis Group, and I know you met at Kokomo’s.

WELLS: That’s certainly what was reported, but I think I was very clear in my first speech, which made the front page of the Courier Mail because of my urgency around acting on climate change.  What I said in my first speech, and what I’ve spoken about at every opportunity in the parliament since May, are the impacts of the climate emergency.  I’ve spoken about the health impacts of the climate emergency.  I’ve spoken about the economic impacts of the climate emergency.  I’ve spoken about the environmental impacts of the climate emergency.  I am here to act on the climate emergency.  The fact that I was put into the reporting demonstrates what a furphy it really is.

ENDS