Senate debates
Monday, 30 November 2009
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Customs) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Excise) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — General) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Amendment (Household Assistance) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
In Committee
9:16 pm
Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source
I am answering the question. You spoke on a range of questions which, as a matter of courtesy, I am responding to. They have nothing to do with the amendments, and I would invite the chair to start to consider, given that taxpayers are paying for us to be here, the fact that these are completely irrelevant to the amendments moved by Senator Milne. They are completely irrelevant. Can I say that, whilst I did not agree with what Senator Milne said in her speech, at least she was speaking to her amendments. Senator Abetz, you will have to ask Mr Hitchens what his assumptions are for his carbon price calculation. We have been transparent about our calculation of the carbon price. That is the MYEFO estimate. I would make the point that the international carbon price, from memory, is currently around $22. So one would, just as a matter of logic, not have thought that $26, which is the assumed starting carbon price in the first year of a floating price, is that demonstrably different.
In relation to East Anglia, those questions have been asked by your colleagues previously and answered. I refer you to my previous answers. I note that Senator Abetz cannot help himself. He has to come in here again and argue the science of climate change. If there is a conspiracy on the issue of climate science, it is a conspiracy that involves conservative figures such as Mrs Thatcher; Mr Howard; the Nationals Prime Minister, Mr Key, in New Zealand; and David Cameron, the leader of the conservatives in the United Kingdom. This government accepts the science that has been made clear by the weight of scientific opinion around the world. We accept the advice and the views of the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO about the impact climate change will have on Australia. Senator Abetz, I know you do not. That is your right. I disagree with it, but we are no longer in the business of re-traversing an issue which the world has broadly come to a view on. What we are doing is seeking to act on that knowledge.
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