Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We on this side of the parliament, we in the Labor government, believe that climate change is real. We believe it is caused by carbon pollution and it is harmful to our environment and the economy. That is why we are taking action on climate change. We are committed to taking action on climate change, which is in stark contrast, as we heard just a moment ago, to the position taken by those opposite. Those opposite, or some of them, used to believe in climate change; they used to have a policy that supported putting a price on carbon through an emissions trading scheme. But that position was thrown out when Mr Abbott took over as Leader of the Opposition, as Leader of the Liberal Party. Mr Abbott becoming the elected leader of the Liberal Party signalled that the sceptics had taken over. In taking over, the climate sceptics led by Mr Abbott dumped their support for action on climate change through the government's proposed emissions trading scheme. And whilst the Liberal Party were backing away from action on climate change, nothing could be further from the position taken on this side of the chamber by the Labor government, because we have remained steadfast in our commitment in taking action on climate change.

The time for inaction has passed. The time for delay is over. The time to take action is now. And that is what the Gillard Labor government is doing. We have a plan to tackle climate change by placing a price on carbon. It is imperative for the future of our economy and of our environment that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions and begin to transition our economy to a clean energy future. We know that greenhouse gas emissions are causing the world's climate to change. Climate scientists have been telling us this for years. They have been telling us that we need to change our behaviour to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

We know that the rest of the world is acting, and to claim otherwise is just disingenuous. Australia generates more carbon pollution per capita than any other developed country, including the United States. We also produce significantly more pollution per person than India and China. Our level of carbon pollution is increasing at a rapid rate. Without taking action it is expected that our carbon pollution will grow by almost two per cent to 2020. We cannot afford to delay action on climate change any longer. We must take action to cut our greenhouse gas emissions, and that is exactly what the Gillard Labor government is doing.

The price on carbon means that Australia's 500-biggest polluting companies will be charged for the pollution they produce. In turn, this will help drive investment in clean energy technologies. The carbon price is not a tax on ordinary Australians, unlike of course the policy of those opposite. It is not a tax on ordinary Australians, as those opposite would have you believe; it is a tax paid by Australia's biggest polluters. All the money raised from the carbon price will be used to support households, jobs and to invest in clean energy and in climate change programs. To assist households with price impacts the government is introducing a comprehensive assistance package, and this will comprise two rounds of increases in pensions, allowances and benefits. There will also be tax cuts, and they will be targeted at those who most need them. This means Labor will ensure pensioners, low- and middle-income earners and families are assisted. Under our assistance package, nine out of ten households will receive assistance through a combination of tax cuts and increased payments. Almost six million Australian households will receive tax cuts for increases in payments that fully cover the average price impacts of the carbon price. We also know that petrol forms a big part of the household budget, so we have ensured that there will be no carbon price on any fuels, including petrol, diesel and LPG for passenger motor vehicles and light commercial vehicles. Whilst we are providing household assistance to families through our carbon price plan, families will be worse off under Mr Abbott's plan of direct action. (Time expired)