Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I raised the issue of extremism in politics. Australians are not extreme, to be quite frank. Australians understand the complexity of the climate change issue. Australians want action to be taken in this area. But Australians reject extremism. Let us look at what is proposed in this bill. The proposal is ultimately for an 80 per cent cut in emissions. The Greens’ position is for an 80 per cent cut in emissions. This is what happens when there is a 60 per cent cut in emissions: petrol prices would rise by approximately 100 per cent—so the Greens would have to go to the next election talking about petrol prices at $2 a litre because that is obviously their policy. Under a cut in emissions below what the Greens are suggesting, GDP growth would be cut by about 11 per cent. Real wages—and I refer to Senator George Campbell, who has written extensively on real wages over the years—would be 21 per cent lower than they would have been under another scenario for 2050. Coal production would be down by 32 per cent.

We know that Senator Brown’s view is to wipe out the coal industry. I am pleased to hear Senator Wortley at least give some support to the coal industry, and in particular to pick up the government’s policy about clean coal. I thought that was good. You were not quite gracious enough, Senator Wortley, to concede that this is a Howard government initiative; but nonetheless you gave it your support. What we are seeing, I believe, is utterly extremist politics.

They have decided that Australia should sign on to Kyoto. But let me read a list of some of the countries in Europe which were referred to so extensively by Senator Milne and Senator Brown. Spain is over its Kyoto target by 36 per cent. Australia, as I understand it, is on target. Denmark is over its target by 25 per cent. Italy is over its target by 20 per cent. Ireland is over its target by 17 per cent. Portugal is over its target by 20 per cent. Norway is over its target by 22 per cent. And yet Senator Milne comes in here and tells us how well the Europeans are doing.

I think it is absolutely extraordinary that the real facts of this case are not being put on the table. Why are we scared of the real facts in this case? Let us have an honest debate on this. If Senator Brown wants to debate this again and is prepared to give the government speakers a chance to get up early in the debate to put their case, as distinct from this time, then maybe we can have one. Let us get the facts straight. Senator Milne should have indicated—