Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am really surprised that Senator Colbeck would come here and run the arguments that were supposedly put forward at the Senate select committee. I must say that Senator Colbeck had lots on his plate at that Senate select committee. And the biggest problem Senator Colbeck had was to try to get Senator Boswell to accept that something was happening. Here we have the coalition, who did nothing for 11½ years on climate change, having the gall, the temerity, to challenge this government, which has said that it accepts the science—something that is not happening over there. Those opposite do not accept the science and even those that claim they do accept the science are clearly under pressure from the National Party and from Senator Boswell and Senator Joyce.

You have the Leader of the Opposition, Malcolm Turnbull, who says no to everything, but he will not say no to Senator Boswell, he will not say no to Senator Joyce and he will not to say no to the sceptics who just do not accept that climate change is here and that climate change will cost this country if it is not acted upon. It is a lack of courage and a lack of commitment from Malcolm Turnbull to stand up to The Nationals, Senator Minchin and those climate sceptics and deniers in the opposition. How about a bit of leadership from the Leader of the Opposition on this issue? Do not come here complaining to us about promises. It was the National Party and the Liberal Party that invented core and non-core promises. Remember that little trick? The government is determined to act in the interests of Australia and is determined to act in the interests of farmers, even though The Nationals will not act in the interests of farmers. Farmer after farmer came to the select committee and accepted that climate change was upon us; they accepted that there would be more droughts and storms and that their stock would be affected; they accepted the reality of climate change. But the so-called leaders of the farming community in the National Party are still trying to deny it. They are still the sceptics. You are doing nothing for the farming community and you are doing nothing for this nation by your denial of the reality of climate change and the need to do something about it.

For 11½ years you had the opportunity to act on climate change, and what did you do? In 1999 you did something and then after that you did absolutely nothing. You stood back and allowed this to take place and you left the Australian economy unprepared for climate change. The Labor Party will take leadership on climate change. We will act in the interests of farmers, we will act in the interests of jobs and we will act in the interests of the communities that are going to be affected. We will demonstrate our leadership and we will clearly outline your lack of leadership on this issue. The deniers and the sceptics cannot be allowed to run riot in the Liberal Party. It is about time Mr No, Mr Malcolm Turnbull, said to the sceptics and the deniers in the coalition, ‘No. We are going to deal with climate change and we will act in the national interest,’ but he does not have the bottle to do it. He does not have the guts to take on Senator Joyce and Senator Boswell. What a pathetic performance. The real test of leadership is to get leadership and some cohesion in your party. Malcolm Turnbull has failed. That will result in the loss of jobs in this country and that will result in more and more problems. (Time expired)