George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Does the Prime Minister still believe in the words she said in March 2009:

I think when you go to an election and you give a promise to the Australian people, you should do everything in your power to honour the promise.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brandis for the question. I know he is an expert on such matters, given his harsh assessment of his own former Prime Minister. It is disappointing that the best the Liberal Party can offer in question time today is to rerun arguments and claims from years past. The point is that all they have is rhetoric. There are no questions about policy; there is no focus on the policy debate before the parliament. All there is here is the sort of politics that goes down well at Liberal Party council meetings where they will say: 'Good on you, Senator George Brandis. You really ran the lines that make us all feel good.'

When it comes to the question about whether they have any policies or are engaged at all in the policy debate about the challenges facing the Australian economy, they are not there; they are absent. A couple of slogans, a couple of photo opportunities, and that is it. This parliament, the elected representatives of Australia, will get the opportunity later this year to debate a substantive piece of legislation which will seek to put a price on carbon. The parliament will decide. We will again attempt to have a serious, comprehensive response to the challenge of climate change. We will introduce the legislation, and all members of parliament will get their chance to debate it. Hopefully the opposition will join the serious policy debate, and this parliament will get to make a decision as to whether or not we will implement a price on carbon. This government is committed to doing that. This government is committed to working with members of parliament with goodwill who are interested in a serious response to climate change, to put in place a price on carbon and help make the transformation the economy needs to make. I hope the opposition soon begin to focus on the real policy questions before Australia.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I note that the obligation to honour promises to the Australian people is now regarded by this government as an argument of 'past years'. Given that the Prime Minister has failed to do everything in her power to honour her promise during the election campaign that 'there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead', will she now let the Australian people have a say on her broken promise and allow a plebiscite on the carbon tax?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I find myself agreeing with John Howard very often these days. First of all, he wanted a serious response to climate change, and then he was absolutely dismissive of the idea of plebiscites. He said members of parliament were elected to make those decisions. He said that the Australian people expected members of parliament to make those decisions. So, again, I find myself wildly in support of former Prime Minister John Howard. He was serious about combating climate change, and he also knew that calling for a plebiscite when one could not win the argument in a serious debate was a sign of a political stunt, which disappeared by day's end. They were going to come in at 10 o'clock in the morning yesterday, you will recall, and move bills on both sides of parliament. The only problem was parlia­ment did not start until 4.30! It was a cunning plan, Baldrick, but unfortunately the parliament did not start until six or seven hours later. This is the sort of leadership we get from the Liberal Party.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Why is the Prime Minister afraid to let the Australian people have their say on a matter that affects every Australian family's cost of living and destroys the job prospects of tens of thousands of Australians? Why won't the Prime Minister allow Australians a vote on her broken carbon tax promise?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, all we get is rhetoric. The Australian government is going to argue its case for a price on carbon in this parliament. We are arguing our case and seek to get legislation passed. And all of those opposite have a duty to deal with that in a serious manner.

We also have to argue our case out in the Australian community, and that is what we are doing. It is difficult because people are being encouraged to be fearful; people are being encouraged to believe untruths. People are made to be concerned as a result of a lowbrow fear campaign. But I have no doubt that at the end of the debate the Australian people will appreciate the need for this fundamental change in the way we organise our economy. They will understand that a response to climate change has to occur and that a price on carbon is the best way to drive that change, and I am sure they will come to understand that the Liberal Party has nothing to offer.