Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

The government has laid out a very clear timetable which involves a significant amount of consultation and careful consideration of the economic impact. As Senator Joyce will probably know, there are a range of design decisions which the government needs to make, which include trajectory and a range of other assistance measures. It is not possible ahead of that consultation and consideration for this detail to be gone into. This is a significant reform, which is why the government is taking a careful and measured approach. We have announced a period of consultation with stakeholders such as industry to be followed by a green paper and then further consultation on the green paper before draft legislation is instituted. We know that the cost of inaction and of neglecting to act will be far greater than the cost of responsible action now. (Time expired)