Darren Cheeseman (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Minister for Industry and Innovation. The carbon price has now been in operation for nearly 150 days. Would the minister update the House on its impact on the Australian economy? How does this compare with previous predictions?

Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Corangamite for his question. Australia's economy, with the introduction of the carbon price—after 150 days of its operation—is still growing. We still have low unemployment. We still have strong business investment. We have low inflation, and we have much lower interest rates than when the coalition was in government. Those are the facts, and they do not accord that well with the fear campaign that the Leader of the Opposition conducted month after month after month in a cowardly performance to try and terrify people into supporting the coalition.

The point that my colleague the Minister for Trade made earlier—about having an opposition leader, after all that fear and all that mendacity, less popular than the carbon price, which was supposed to destroy towns and regions—was quite telling. Remember his claim that it would destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs? In fact, the figures show—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order. The minister knows that to accuse the Leader of the Opposition of mendacity is to accuse him of lying, and he should withdraw it.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

I am not appreciating this one. I am on my feet. The standing orders and House of Representatives Practice are very clear. Whether we like it or not, it is the word 'lie' that the parliament has over the years objected to, not the variations on it. I understand the point that the member for Wentworth is making, but, if you go to House of Representatives Practice, it is the word 'lie' that cannot be stated. The minister has the call.

Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Speaker. I would like to thank the member for Wentworth, because it was a point well made. Let us just look at some facts. The prediction by the Leader of the Opposition was that hundreds of thousands of jobs would be lost. That is what he said. The figures are showing 25,000 extra jobs added to our economy since the carbon price came into operation. In fact, when you look at the way that the economy is changing and businesses are adjusting to it, we are improving energy efficiency. We are reducing emissions intensity in our economy. We are reducing greenhouse gases. The carbon price revenue is being used to support businesses to reduce their emissions.

One of the projects in this respect is carried out by Thiess Australia, a company that has been referred to by some of those opposite from time to time. Its Tamworth based abattoir is developing a biogas project which has been made viable by the carbon price operation, which will cut its energy costs by $327,000 a year. Also, last week Siemens, a large international company, announced it would work with a contracting firm to manufacture up to 20 wind towers in Whyalla for the Snowtown II wind farm project. That is the Whyalla that the Leader of the Opposition said would be wiped off the map.

As this year draws to a close, the carbon price is unquestionably having a positive effect on the economy in reducing its emissions intensity, and every mendacious claim that the Leader of the Opposition made is being shown up. Is it any wonder that his net approval is so low?