Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

As we approach the end of this debate because of the Labor-Green gag that will cut this debate short, as we are talking about the last amendments, let me make a number of observations. Today is the day when Labor senators will lock in their betrayal of the Australian people. Today is the day when each single Labor senator will vote in breach of their solemn promise to the Australian people before the last election that there would be no carbon tax under the government led by Julia Gillard. The vote today will haunt every single Labor member and senator all the way to the next election. History will judge Labor members and senators harshly and, before then, the Australian people will judge Labor members and senators harshly at the next election.

After years of inquiries and debate, people across Australia understand that a carbon tax in Australia when our trading partners and competitors are not going down the same path—an economy wide carbon tax, an economy wide emissions trading scheme in Australia, when trade competitors and our trading partners are not doing the same—will be all economic pain for no environmental gain for the world. People across Australia understand that this is a tax which will push up the cost of everything, which will make Australia less competitive internationally, which will cost jobs, which will result in lower real wages and which will see emissions in Australia continue to go up.