Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister that three years ago today she promised to establish a community consensus before any carbon price and later announced a citizens assembly for that purpose. Why did she break that promise and instead introduce a carbon tax that has forced up prices, cost jobs and disadvantaged manufacturing, all while emissions have gone up from 560 million to 637 million tonnes?

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

I thank the member for Flinders for his question. On carbon pricing, perhaps I could use the following words to best describe the view of the government:

Perhaps our most important domestic policy was the decision of the Howard Government that Australia would implement a national carbon emissions trading system.

… … …

Importantly, the Coalition pledged to establish a Climate Change Fund to reinvest a substantial proportion of emissions trading revenues in clean energy technology, and support for households most affected by the impact of a carbon price … We hope that the new Government will take up this proposal.

Who spoke those words? The member for Flinders did. What did we do? Yes, we did follow in former Prime Minister Howard's economic footsteps, in line with his economic legacy—that is, as a rational man he realised that climate change is real, that it is caused by human activity and that the best way of tackling it is through an emissions trading scheme. Of course, what we have legislated for is a price on carbon now which is fixed and will take us to an emissions trading scheme in two years time. So I can inform the member for Flinders that if he wants to realise the vision that he spoke so eloquently about in his speech, presumably to the Sydney Institute, in April 2008, what he should be saying in this parliament is stick with the policies of this government because that will get us an emissions trading scheme.

On further support for an emissions trading scheme—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You said you wouldn't introduce one.

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

the list of people in support of this policy just goes on and on.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why did you lie?

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business is warned!

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

Let me quote the following words:

The Howard government [in 2007] proposed an emissions trading scheme because this seemed the best way to obtain the highest emissions reduction at the lowest cost.

Who said that? And who went on to say:

We don't want to play games with the planet. So we are taking this issue seriously and we would like to see an ETS …

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his ringing endorsement of this government's policies of an emissions trading scheme. For those who are interested in reason in this debate, I know that the opposition are coming here today to rerun—

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, a point of order on relevance: before the Prime Minister finishes, she may wish to address the question of why she broke her own promise.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Flinders will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I thought the member for Flinders might be tabling a copy of his thesis in favour of an emissions trading scheme! To the member for Flinders, in the 2010 election I spoke about the need for pricing carbon and an emissions trading scheme. Because this government has had guts and because it has had fortitude, we are going to have that emissions trading scheme. You support it. He supports it. Your frontbench supports it. You stood at an election supporting it in 2007 and no amount of shaking your heads or playing politics now changes that truth. (Time expired)

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop interjecting—

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

Madam Speaker, I ask a supplementary question—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, a point of order: the member for Mackellar might like to withdraw.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Mackellar, withdraw. I may ask others to withdraw if they are not careful.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member.

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

It is to the Prime Minister. How does the Prime Minister reconcile the answers she has just given with her pre-election pledge, 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead.'

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

The best policy for Australia is putting a price on carbon. Ever since I have understood the science of climate change, I have believed that and that is what we have done. I refer the Leader of the Opposition to my statements during the 2010 campaign about the need to put a price on carbon, and we have. But if the Leader of the Opposition wants to get into this game then how does he explain his statement:

We don't want to play games with the planet. So we are taking this issue seriously and we would like to see an ETS …

How does he possibly justify his months and months and months of reckless fear campaigning with that statement? How does he possibly justify that he went to the 2007 election as a member of the Howard government standing on a platform of an emissions trading scheme? And he sits amongst colleagues who are all—

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point order. I asked the Prime Minister to justify her statement and I suggest she should answer that particular question.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has the call.

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

To the Leader of the Opposition, I spoke in the 2010 campaign about pricing carbon. We have priced carbon and we have priced carbon in accordance with the policy prescriptions and belief of the Howard government, which is why I can stand here and quote the Leader of the Opposition in support and why I can quote so many of the other frontbench members in support because that was in the days that they actually stood for pricing carbon rather than playing this ridiculous, reckless and ultimately silly fear campaign.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the member for Flinders seeking leave to table a document?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am indeed. Actually, I am seeking to table the Prime Minister's statement of three years ago.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is leave granted?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. I have already tabled the thesis!