Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I ask whether the Prime Minister heard comments this morning by Tony Blair’s special envoy on climate, Mr Elliot Morley, stating that the UK was surprised and disappointed that:

... Australia didn’t ratify Kyoto and hasn’t joined in the kind of international consensus which is emerging on climate change, and the kind of international action that we need.

He also, said regarding Australia’s position outside the Kyoto framework, that:

... if we all take that attitude—

that is yours, Prime Minister—

then there’ll be no progress at all, and we will just sleepwalk to oblivion ...

Prime Minister, hasn’t your climate change scepticism held back global action to avoid dangerous climate change?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for that question. I did hear those remarks.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whether Elliot Morley is a good man or a bad man, he is not speaking for his Prime Minister on this issue. I rather thought the Leader of the Opposition would ask this question. I can assure the Leader of the Opposition and the House that the views that Elliot Morley expressed do not represent the views that have been expressed to me by the British Prime Minister and they do not represent the views—

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Beazley interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Opposition has asked his question.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that were expressed publicly on, as I recall, 26 March this year when Mr Blair and I held a joint news conference. As best I can recall his remarks—and when I get hold of his precise remarks I will have them put into HansardMr Blair said that, unless we get an agreement that includes countries like China, India and the United States, we are not going to have an effective international emissions-trading system. Indeed, my recollection of that encounter when Mr Blair came to Australia was that the observation on climate change that most fascinated him was that made in the meeting between ministers and the British Prime Minister in which the Minister for the Environment and Heritage in our government made the observation that, if we were to close down all of our power stations tonight, it would take China only nine months of emissions in order to equal that contribution. I reject completely that that man was speaking for his Prime Minister on AM. I thought his remarks were somewhat patronising and certainly not representative of the views of his Prime Minister.