Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Temporary Chairman, for protecting me from these vicious interjections from the other side of the chamber. They frighten me and distract me from my thought. I might have to start again, but I will not because I seriously want to get through these amendments. These are serious questions which, Senator Wong, I have asked you time and time again. Please give me an answer. Will a 0.2 per cent reduction from Australia cure the Barrier Reef? If not, Minister, why this mad rush to ram this through at 20 to 10 on a Thursday night? We are going to sit all day tomorrow and all tomorrow night and then I am not sure what we are doing. Are we sitting Saturday and Sunday and Monday to get this legislation through before the minister and the Prime Minister swan off in a carbon-polluting aeroplane to Copenhagen in a couple of weeks time?

Please tell me how a 0.2 per cent reduction is going to save the Barrier Reef. Please assure me that China, the United States—the big emitters—Russia, India, Columbia, South Africa—our competitors in coal—and Indonesia are also going to sign a binding agreement which will give us a chance. If, however, we are doing it in advance of the rest of the world and we are one of the few countries doing it, why are we destroying our economy, our jobs and our way of life for a meaningless suggestion which will make the emissions worse?