Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Senator Minchin refers to creating hysteria. That is exactly what the Prime Minister sought to do yesterday by saying any attack on climate change is a threat to our economy. Aren’t business and others in the community leading the debate, trying to drag the government along behind them, in recognising that it is bad for our economy if we fail to tackle climate change? Why won’t the government show some leadership, catch up with business in the community and seriously tackle these issues rather than trying to spread fear? Isn’t it a fact that unless we take steps to tackle climate change we will suffer economically in the long run?