Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I agree with one thing that Senator Fifield has just said: it has always been a pleasure during this process, Mr Deputy President, to have you in the chair in this period of taking note. In turn, I think it is splendid that we can agree on that.

It is interesting that we have heard so much protestation from the other side about the concerns over having community consensus and the issue of getting people together. The one little element that was not mentioned in this great cry for a plebiscite of all people—getting out and testing the market, finding out what Australians really want—is that the person who is advocating that has already said that it does not matter what comes out of such a plebiscite. It is not going to make any difference, because he is still going to be opposed to the carbon tax—that is, carbon pricing or any other response to climate change. He is opposed to the whole kit and caboodle, in fact. That is the one clear element that has been maintained throughout this debate; the people on the other side have made it really clear. There is no doubt—they oppose.

So in the debates that have been going on we have heard protestations that the Prime Minister made statements before the election that after the election were not fulfilled. At no time has the Prime Minister or anyone on this side denied that that statement was made. At no time did we say, 'No, that's not true.' What we and the Prime Minister said was that, because of the overwhelming threat of climate change to our community, there needed to be some action taken. The Prime Minister then went out to the community and said that she was trying to seek a cross-party working group to look at the issues around climate change and at responses which could include a climate tax. Those were the words.

We did set up a cross-party process, only it did not include all the cross parties. It included the Labor Party, the Greens and the Independents. In that part there was a genuine attempt to come up with a proposal that would then be taken to the Australian public. That is what was going to happen. There is no surprise and no hiding; there is a process by which there has been an attempt to get more information through Professor Garnaut's work and through the work of the Productivity Commission so that we would have the facts to would determine the best way to respond to what people believe is an important threat to our community: climate change.

The response from the other side is not a surprise. It was to oppose. They said: 'No, it won't work. It won't happen and it won't happen under our watch.' That has been said so many times in various ways by the opposition. We understand their position. It does not matter what arguments are put up. It does not matter why people think this should happen, because there is a genuine threat and there needs to be a response. The Prime Minister has said that as a result of the cross-party working group there will be specific information provided so that discussion can continue around the issues.

We now have a premise but we do not have the core detail, which gives open slather to people on the other side to create the most horrific exaggerations and myths around what could happen. That is an easy tactic and is something for which we must be prepared. It is going to be the job of the government and of the people who want to work with the government to ensure that there are clear facts for the community so that they understand exactly what the government response will be. Then that whole debate will be taken through this place—it is the only way the system works—and there will be particular legislation developed. There will be a full debate which will engage with the community through the media across the whole of our country to identify the best way forward.

As I have said so many times in this place, this is not an issue just for Australia. We are part of a world community and we must be part of a world response. It is no good to say that we do not have a role. It is no good for anyone to say, 'Just oppose'. We have to identify the issue and then make a concerted effort to find a response.