House debates Questions without Notice

Climate Change

Thursday, 31 May 2007 House of Representatives

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

3:15 pm

My question is again to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware of comments made by the Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, on 11 April 2007—

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The Manager of Opposition Business has the call and he will be heard.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Thanks, Mr Speaker.

Bob Baldwin

Bob Baldwin Paterson, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources

Mr Baldwin interjecting

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The member for Paterson!

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Would you like me to start again, Mr Speaker?

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The Manager of Opposition Business will start his question again.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Thanks, Mr Speaker. Is the Prime Minister aware of comments made by Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, on 11 April 2007, regarding the fate of political leaders who do not respond to climate change? He said:

Your political base will melt away as surely as the polar ice caps—I can guarantee you of that. You will become a political penguin on a smaller and smaller—

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

Order! The member will come to his question.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

... ice floe, drifting out to sea.

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

The member will come to his question.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Is the governor right?

John Howard

John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

I follow the comments of the ‘Governator’ very closely, but I have not seen that one. I do know this—

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Would you like me to table this?

John Howard

John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

You can do whatever you like with it; I don’t mind.

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Mr Albanese interjecting

John Howard

John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

Table it; yes, table it!

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table the speech of the governor.

Leave granted.

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

Order! The Prime Minister has the call.

John Howard

John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

I have not heard of that, but I am interested to read it. But I do know this: the state that he governs derives 28 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power.

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

Order! Members are holding up their own question time.