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

1:46 pm

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

I take that interjection. The senator says, ‘Solar.’ This government has invested $1.5 billion in the Solar Flagships program, which is more than your government ever did. We have quadrupled the renewable energy target out to 2020—four times more renewable energy in this country than the nation has ever had. Do you know what? Even with those policies Australia’s emissions will continue to rise. They are good and worthy policies, but even with those policies Australia’s contribution to climate change will continue to worsen. There is no easy way to tackle climate change, and the reason you are not up to it is that too many of you do not believe that action on climate change is needed. It would have been better if you had been more honest with the Australian people and fronted up to that.

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