Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I am certainly happy to stack up the experts on our side of the debate against the experts on your side of the debate, Senator Brandis. We have the best scientists in Australia, the people at the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology. We have the best economists in Australia, those in the Australian Treasury. We have the best advice on this issue—the same advice that was given to Mr Howard—which is that if you delay action it will cost you more. The science is clearly demonstrating the imperative for action, and in fact the situation is getting worse. That is why no credible economist supports the opposition's plan, which imposes more costs on the Australian economy, more costs on Australian business and more costs on Australian households to achieve what they say is the same environmental target. The reality is that there is no credible policy on that side of the chamber on this. Mr Turnbull knows that and Mr Hewson knows that. (Time expired)