Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Increasingly, this industry will be a very important partner in making sure that we are more energy efficient. The practices will also become much more energy efficient. I have great faith in the future of this industry. I do not have any faith in the sorts of predictions that have been made and the bodgie modelling which is produced by all sorts of organisations that do not understand the importance of a carbon price and do not understand the importance of dealing with dangerous climate change.

What I do know is that Queenslanders up and down the coast do understand the importance of dealing with dangerous climate change in terms of protecting our Great Barrier Reef and in terms of protecting our precious environment. Nothing could be more important for Queenslanders, for our sugar industry, and particularly for people in the north than putting a price on carbon. That is very important to deal with the impacts of dangerous climate change. I know that many Queenslanders, if not the member opposite, understand the importance of this fundamental reform, for the future of our rural sector and the future of our economy and, most importantly, the future of our environment.

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