Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

It must be very comfortable being on the pulpit without having to take responsibility for the consequences of your statements. The truth is that Australian coal, when it displaces dirty coal in many other parts of the world, makes a magnificent contribution to environmental outcomes. If you want us to stop exporting cleaner Australian coal so that it can be substituted with dirtier coal overseas, if that makes you feel better that we have somehow sacrificed jobs in Australia, hurt families, damaged the economy, but you feel better, even though emissions in the world are up by more, if that makes you feel better, that is not our way to do business for the Australian people. We care about people as well as the environment. We care about making sure the economy is stronger so that families around Australia have the best possible opportunity to get ahead.