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

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Can the Acting Prime Minister name a single head of government at the G20 conference, apart from the Australian Prime Minister, who has hit workers and families with an economy-wide carbon tax of at least $23 a tonne?

Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Good question!

Opposition members: Name one—just one!

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Do the opposition want to hear an answer or not? The Acting Prime Minister has the call.

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

I have been to a few G20 conferences and, as I have sat at the table, there is one thing that all the developed economies there around the table know—there is no stronger developed economy in the G20 than Australia. There is no stronger developed economy in the G20 than Australia. But, of course, what do we get here? Day after day, the opposition comes into this House—and goes around the community—and talks our economy down, deliberately insulting all those hard-working business owners and those millions of workers who have worked hard to make our economy strong.

I have been asked by the Leader of the Opposition how many countries around the G20 table are putting in place policies to deal with dangerous climate change and creating situations where they can reduce their emissions. Seventeen of the G20 members, or 85 per cent, are putting in place emissions trading schemes at a national or subnational level. That is what is going on in the G20. I tell you what, if those on the other side were at Los Cabos, they would have been terribly embarrassed, because the G20 nations with developed economies and developing economies do appreciate the need to deal with reducing carbon pollution, and are putting emissions trading schemes in place at a national or subnational level.

Let us just go specifically to some of the countries that are sitting around the table.

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

Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I asked the Acting Prime Minister if he could name a single country with a $23 a tonne carbon tax—a single one.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Acting Prime Minister is answering the question and has the call.

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

Madam Deputy Speaker, I am certainly happy to address it directly. Over the four years to July 2011, European carbon prices have traded in the range of $16 to $50. Now, what countries could there be around the G20 table who might be in that situation? There is France, there is Italy, there is the United Kingdom—there is a whole range of developed economies that are part of the European scheme. Those opposite will come into this House and maintain that the European price is low at the moment, but there is no reason it will stay there. What we do know is that carbon prices in the European zone have traded between $16 and $50 over the four years through to the middle of 2011. I think that answers that question pretty clearly. You on that side of the House are so embarrassed by your performance here. Countries around the world are putting in place emissions trading schemes, because those countries understand the importance of dealing with dangerous climate change.

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

I have a supplementary question to the Acting Prime Minister: can the Acting Prime Minister tell the House when the European carbon price ever hit $50 a tonne and can he please tell the House what it is now?

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—