Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the amendment for the delay of the proclamation of the legislation. I do so on a couple of grounds. One is the issue that the member for Chifley raises—that is, the construct of democracy. I thought with the new paradigm that we would be doing business very differently in the way that we would debate legislation in this House, that we would have much more open processes that would enable us to deal with some of the complexities, particularly of this legislation.

Ms Burke interjecting—

I am glad that the member is interjecting. Let me share with you that, in a shocking and historically unprecedented suppression of political expression, 4,500 Australians opposed to the carbon tax have had their submissions to the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Clean Energy Future Legislation rejected out of hand. Upon its establishment, the joint select committee called for submissions from Australians on the legislation to impose a carbon tax. Despite giving Australians only one week to wade through over 1,000 pages of legislation, the committee website specifically states that it encourages submissions to its inquiries from a wide range of individuals and organisations, yet only 73 submissions, mainly in favour of a carbon tax, were accepted by the committee, with 4,500 rejected out of hand. Never in the history of the Australian parliament has such a widescale rejection of opinions taken place. Never before have submissions been rejected in such a manner. This is hubris of the highest order.

It was also interesting, in looking at page 8 of today's West Australian, to see a full-page advert by the Australian Trade and Industry Alliance. I will cite its words because they are words that were conveyed to me and to the shadow minister when we met with many small businesses and groups within Hasluck:

If a carbon tax passes parliament, higher prices that could do nothing for climate change become law. The government is introducing the world's largest carbon tax legislation in parliament this week, and if the world's largest carbon tax becomes law it effectively means higher prices will also become law. It will be the law for higher fuel prices for 60,000 businesses. It will be the law for higher electricity prices for every Australian family and business. It will be the law for higher public transport costs. It will be the law that raises costs for Australian manufacturers.

In my electorate, constituents have openly expressed their sense of betrayal and have made strong comments in condemnation of a commitment that was given to not introduce a carbon tax. They have in fact found that this government is introducing a carbon tax that will impact on them. Businesses have been direct in their opposition because they have been considering the flow-on, cascading costs. For Western Australia, let me take the example of food supply. It tends to emanate out of the south-eastern corner of this country. Significant costs will be derived from the cost of an increase in fuel and then transporting it across the country. When talking with truckies, they say to me that it costs them $3,000 minimum, and if they go further from Perth to Kununurra then the cost is again the same.

In my electorate there are people who currently make decisions about whether they go without medication to put food on the table. They find that the increasing costs are impacting on their quality of life and their choice of life for themselves and their children. Any other increases that are additional to what they experience at the moment will only be an added burden, and it will be a pity to see that the people who go without will be those in greatest need. Even those on Centrelink payments will have to bear the cost of the increases that will come. I am sure that there are many in this House who will never go hungry nor want for a comfortable bed, yet there will be others in my electorate and those of many others who will experience poverty and the challenges of meeting the costs of living. In that context, they will not be able to give their families and children the quality of life that they have always dreamed of and aspired to. Those seeking to own homes will have the additional burden of that tax. I feel for those who will have the greatest impact— (Time expired)

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