Pauline Hanson shares fiery comeback to Charlotte Walker after Net Zero debate
Senator Hanson, a long-time climate change denier, introduced the motion on Monday following Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce's private members Bill calling for the same thing.
The motion failed, with just the four One Nation senators, United Australia Party senator Ralph Babet and coalition senators Matt Canavan and Alex Antic voting in favour.
In the debate preceding the vote, Labor's new senator for South Australia Charlotte Walker fired back at the motion.
Pauline Hanson has shared a comeback to senator Charlotte Walker.
'All I can say is, are you kidding?' the 21-year-old told the Senate.
'The motion put forward on net zero indicates a severe lack of knowledge and a complete disregard for the future of our generation, the future of our country.
'Without a net zero target, there will be no Australian farmers, businesses or industries to support us.
'Net zero is waking up to a reality that Senator Hanson has not been able to grasp. In fact, Senator Hanson seems to be hellbent on exacerbating all of the consequences of climate change.'
However, following Ms Walker's remarks, Hanson shared a fiery comeback on Sky News, accusing Walker of being a hypocrite.
'She said she grew up on the farm – a farm that uses diesel and petroleum products to actually do the farming. I don't think she really understands about what net zero is,' she told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio.
'Most of those parliamentarians have no idea about net zero … they can't debate you on the issue, they don't know the facts or figures, and this is why they just come in there and they just vote whatever way the winds blowing.'
Charlotte Walker earlier accused Pauline Hanson of disregarding the future of younger generations and farmers. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
Senator Hanson laughed, and added Walker shouldn't come in thinking she's going to 'tell me what I know or what I don't know when I have been dealing with this for many years'.
'She's no sooner out of bloody university and out of her nappies than she's telling me I don't know what the hell I'm talking about when I've been on the floor of parliament for the last nine years,' she said.
'I don't take any notice of her, who's just trying to make her place in this parliament – and congratulations.'
'They're gutless'
Earlier, Senator Hanson challenged Coalition opponents of net zero to stand up and support her motion.
Senator Hanson said her motion would out opposition 'cowards'.
'They're gutless, you know, they're cowards,' she told Sky News when asked about the prospect of Coalition senators not backing her motion.
'Because a lot of these people on the floor of parliament have no understanding, cannot debate you about climate change.
'They don't even know anything about it.
'They're making decisions and voting on it.'
Mr Joyce's Bill proposes to abandon Australia's carbon-neutral target by 2050.
The target is in line with goals set by other developed economies, but the task has been complicated by rapid energy demands from emerging economies and global disruptions driven by increased conflicts, such as Russia's war in Ukraine.
Among Mr Joyce's supporters gathered outside Parliament House was fellow former Nationals leader Michael McCormack, another hefty voice in the party.
Liberal MP Garth Hamilton also joined him, making him the only member of the senior Coalition partner to do so.
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