Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I seem to recall having said in this place on a number of occasions that agriculture is not in the bill that was voted down by those opposite. It was not included, and what we have made clear is that we would not include it until 2015 and that a decision would be made in 2013, prior to which we will continue to work with the National Farmers Federation and other peak agriculture representatives to deal with some of the issues that are presented when you consider how to deal with agriculture. So the government has not made a decision to include it. That is why it is not in the bill. It is in 2015.

I just remind those opposite of what Woolworths have said today:

Modelling undertaken last year on the previously proposed scheme did show that food like all goods would incur a slight price rise. This price impact would be higher if agriculture were included but agriculture is omitted under the current plan. Woolworths submitted this information to the government in 2008 in order to assist with compensation planning for low-income households.

The government has been consulting. The government has been working closely with industry and the government is determined to take action on climate change—something those opposite have never had the courage to do.