Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change) Share this | Hansard source

I know you do not like hearing it, but you are going to hear it. This is what he quoted of Sir Winston Churchill:

… the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science.

The member for Hume then went on to say:

That is just as applicable today to the perverted science of global warming.

That is unbelievable. That is a completely incredible contribution. For political figures with the responsibility of people such as the member for Hume and the Leader of the Liberal Party in the Senate, Senator Minchin, to engage in such bizarre, ridiculous and absurd nonsense is extremely irresponsible, given the threat that this country faces. No modern political party can be held captive by climate change sceptics and hope to retain credibility.

The Prime Minister made the point earlier that the member for Groom had indicated some optimism that a potential agreement with the government may obtain support in the Liberal party room. We hope that is the case. We continue to approach these negotiations in good faith. We will endeavour to secure an agreement and we are hopeful that it will obtain support in the Liberal party room because it is important to this country’s national interest to tackle the threat of climate change. The sceptics and the extremists need to be cast to the edge.

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