On 25 June 2025 I gave a speech on the Katter Party's motion calling to scrap net zero emissions targets. You can read my full speech below, or in the official Queensland Parliament record of proceedings (Hansard).
The mental gymnastics at the end there are still confusing me a little. ‘Solar is too expensive but I will put it on my roof now.’ Jesus—I withdraw. Excuse me. Blasphemy.
Mr Dametto interjected.
Mr SPEAKER: Member for Hinchinbrook, you have made your contribution; it is now time for the member for Maiwar.
Mr BERKMAN: I find it absurd that in a debate on the topics that the Katter’s have put up tonight we are hearing this kind of muted, but occasionally explicit, suggestion that this is not a debate about climate change. They want to pretend that they can talk about all things renewables and all things net zero but it somehow does not have to do with climate change because they do not want to come out—nor do the government—and say that climate change is absolute bollocks, which we know is their view. We know that is the view of the Katter’s and of the government because it is writ large across—
Mr Katter: I will say it.
Mr BERKMAN: Oh, he will say it! Well, let's take the interjection from the member for Traeger. He tries to pretend that it is not. We will get to the member for Traeger's selective reference to CSIRO. He calls on CSIRO in his contribution and wants to pretend somehow that they support his position. Has the man spent half a minute looking at the GenCost report put out by CSIRO last year which showed—without any question—that renewables and storage is far and away the cheapest option for power generation in Queensland?
Mr KATTER: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order. I take offence to the comment that was made earlier.
Mr SPEAKER: The member has taken personal offence. I ask you to withdraw.
Mr BERKMAN: I withdraw. I will avoid whatever thin skin I can in future. He talks about CSIRO and now, he wants to pretend that he is not relying on CSIRO—
An honourable member interjected.
Mr BERKMAN: Like I cannot watch it on the TV. Jesus, these people are idiots. The member for Hill sits here and asks the question rhetorically: how stupid are we? How stupid do they think we are?
Dr ROWAN: Mr Speaker, I rise to a point of order related to unparliamentary language.
Mr SPEAKER: I ask you to withdraw that unparliamentary language.
Mr BERKMAN: I withdraw.
Mr SPEAKER: I caution you to be a bit more careful in your language.
Mr BERKMAN: Indeed. I will make it clear, from this point on, that I have no interest in further interjections from the Katter's Australian Party so if they choose to interject, we will leave it right where it sits.
Mr Dametto interjected.
Mr SPEAKER: Member for Hinchinbrook, if you want to be here for the vote, I caution you to cease your interjections.
Mr BERKMAN: It is absurd that these members come in here and they want to talk about the cost of power generation, firstly, flagrantly ignoring the actual facts that CSIRO have put out about the costs of renewables and storage and, secondly, flagrantly ignoring the very well human and economic costs that climate change is wreaking on their very communities, year in year out. How many cattle does the member for Traeger reckon have been lost in his electorate with the floods that have rolled through the electorate? Is he going to pretend that has nothing to do with climate change? Is he really going to pretend that the loss of human life across this state—
Honourable members interjected.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Maiwar has the call.
Mr BERKMAN: How stupid are we? How stupid do they think we are?
Mr SPEAKER: I would caution you on your language once again, member for Maiwar. This is the Queensland parliament.
Mr BERKMAN: Mr Speaker, I am simply quoting the member for Hill in his contribution, but I will move on. We had at least a brief—
Mr Katter: Reference it.
Mr BERKMAN: I take the interjection; those were his very words. The member for Traeger should look at the record. He asked, 'How stupid are we?', and I ask the member for Traeger again: how stupid does he think we are?
I will turn for a moment to the contribution of the member for Glass House, our climate change minister, who again puts this absurd position that he believes in climate change as though climate science is an article of faith. I know that he himself is a man of faith, but you do not get to believe or disbelieve in science. You either understand it and you act appropriately, or you just do not get it. That man sitting on the ministerial benches and supposedly representing Queensland's interest on the environment does not get it. He is the same man who came into power under Newman in 2012 and gutted the office of climate change. He set back decades—
Ms Leahy: Through the chair.
Mr BERKMAN: I am speaking through the chair.
Mr SPEAKER: I will look after the House.
Mr BERKMAN: Yes, they can allow you to look after the House. It is absolutely gobsmacking to hear this man talking about how he believes in climate change.
Government members interjected.
Mr BERKMAN: Of course there is an argumentative tone to this because just about every member left in this House wants to deny the realities of climate change. They want to treat Queenslanders like we are fools and as though we do not see the cataclysmic climate impacts that are coming our way. I cannot find myself voting for either the motion or the amended motion. I will not be staying here to vote for either of them, but I want it on the record that both of these parties are full of deniers; they are full of climate deniers who are going to trash our state's future.