John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

You do? That is the one thing in this debate you have got right, Senator Williams. I knew I would eventually hear you say something sensible and you have. You have not let me down. As Senator Williams says—he is very insightful—'You make hay while the sun shines'. Our economic fundamentals are solid and our investment pipeline is strong. Now is the time to implement our comprehensive clean energy future package. I say to the Senate that putting a price on carbon is the cheapest and most effective way to reduce our carbon footprint. It will ensure that our nation's economic and environmental interests remain secure. I do strongly support the introduction of this measure on 1 July.

No senator should forget why this is being done or why responsible governments have to stand up and be counted on this issue. The climate is warming; sea levels are rising; weather patterns are changing. This is a global problem on which developed nations like Australia can and should show leadership. Many years ago—in fact in the mid-1990s—I was Australia's environment minister and I proposed a small carbon levy at that time. I was very committed to that course of action. Whether or not I was ahead of my time, I could report that it was not warmly welcomed by all, either in my own party or in the coalition at the time. But just look at the reports of the IPCC; look at the science; look at what our own agencies, the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology, are saying. It is responsible to act; it is responsible to act now. I, for one, proudly support what the government is doing in this regard and completely reject the nonsense from the opposition and that which is contained in Senator Cormann's motion this afternoon.