Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. How much taxpayers’ money will the government spend on a climate change and water advertising campaign between now and the next federal election?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hindmarsh for his question. I do not believe there is any secret about that. I believe there is a $52 million information campaign to promote awareness of energy efficiency.

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

Mr Albanese interjecting

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

Order! The honourable member for Grayndler is warned!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member would be aware that the government is committed to early action on climate change, and the two most promising avenues for early action are energy efficiency and forestry. We are leading the world in both areas with the Global Initiative on Forests and Climate, and, as the incoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom observed, Australia is leading the world in energy efficiency. We are the first country to phase in a ban on inefficient lighting.

Energy efficiency, however, is a complicated business. There is no one silver technological bullet: the most important thing is to raise awareness. We have a range of programs through the Greenhouse Office—through Greenhouse Friendly, Greenhouse Challenge and so forth. Enormous savings can be achieved at the household level. A key to that is promoting greater awareness of energy efficiency opportunities, and the government is committed to that. If the opposition wants to dissociate itself from energy efficiency, it is free to do so, and it will just underline how out of touch and in the past its climate change policy is.

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

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.