Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind her of President Obama's statement that the US will not introduce a carbon tax, nor even take part in an emissions reduction treaty, unless emerging economies like China and India are included. I also remind her that the Canadians confirmed at CHOGM that they reject any form of carbon pricing and, further, that Minister Combet admitted last week that Japan and Russia will not take part in the second round of the Kyoto protocol. Given that the government assumes, and I quote, 'comparable carbon pricing in other major economies from 2015-16,' when will it redo its modelling to reveal the increased cost of its carbon tax to Australia's forgotten families?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the Leader of the Opposition I say: he should stop misrepresenting the facts of this to the Australian people. The assertions he has just made about the Treasury modelling are wholly wrong. They are wholly wrong and the opposition should know that they are wholly wrong because they received detailed briefings at Senate estimates. So, before they make these claims, they should actually go out and acknowledge to the people of Australia that this is a misrepresentation when they are in possession of the facts. It is simply wrong to suggest that the Treasury modelling of the government's Clean Energy Future program depends on the United States putting a price on carbon by 2016. It is wholly wrong and the opposition is out there misleading again.

The two key assumptions about international action in the Treasury modelling—and the Leader of the Opposition, if he were not addicted to negativity and saying no, would acknowledge this to the Australian people—are, first, that companies meet their low-end pollution reduction targets for 2010—something verified in respect of the United States by President Obama when he spoke in this parliament late last week. The second assumption about international action is that countries have access to international abatement; and, as the Leader of the Opposition well knows, there are carbon markets in operation now that Australia's scheme can link with internationally, including in the European Union.

The assumption in the Leader of the Opposition's question is wholly wrong. This is what happens when you have no policy and you are simply addicted to saying no.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table the government's modelling document which states: 'The modelling assumes comparable carbon pricing in other major economies from 2015-16'.

Leave not granted.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mr Abbott interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.