Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. How will the government's plan to take action on climate change through pricing carbon see lower carbon pollution, more tax cuts and assistance for families and pensioners?

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

I thank Senator Singh and congratulate her on her first question in this place.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, resume your seat. When there is silence on both sides we will proceed.

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

As I said, I congratulate Senator Singh on her first question in this place. I am sure she will make an outstanding contribution to this place on behalf of her state and on behalf of the Australian Labor Party. I am very pleased to take the opportunity to respond to the senator about why it is important for us to price carbon and why we must reduce pollution. The government plans to ensure we do this in a way that very much recognises Labor values.

As the Prime Minister has said, on Sunday the government will announce the full details of the carbon-pricing package. The government is pursuing a market mechanism for putting a price on pollution because this is the most effective way to reduce pollution. As we have approached the path of designing this package and the challenge of tackling climate change, as always we are guided by our Labor values of fairness and equity. That is why we have been working to ensure that in this package nine out of 10 households—some seven million households—get assistance through tax cuts or increases to payments or a combination of both. The vast majority of these households will not pay an additional cent as a result of pricing carbon. In addition, as we have made clear, we will put in place a buffer for three million low-income households of 20 per cent. We have made commitments to pensioners and to self-funded retirees who hold Commonwealth healthcare cards that they will also get assistance.

This is a big reform, but it is a necessary reform. It is important we price pollution so we can reduce it, it is important we price pollution so we can drive investment in clean energy and it is important we price pollution to recognise our responsibility for future generations. (Time expired)

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question, Mr President. Can the minister outline to the Senate the implications for the budget of taking a different approach to tackling climate change? Will these flow through to households?

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

This is a major economic reform, an economic reform that will transform our economy, and like previous reforms those on this side will approach it in a fiscally responsible manner. We know of course that is not reflected in the policies of the other side. We know that the direct action plan promulgated by those opposite is, as Mr Turnbull says, a recipe for fiscal recklessness.

Senator Joyce interjecting—

Senator Joyce, that is what Mr Turnbull describes your policy as. As Mr Abbott himself admitted on 7.30 last night, the coalition's plan will be a hit on the budget. It will cost some $30 billion funded out of the budget, funded out of higher taxes—$720 per household in this country. That is the fiscally reckless plan promulgated by the opposition. (Time expired)

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question. Can the minister outline to the Senate what support, if any, she has seen for taking an alternative approach to tackling climate change?

Senator Joyce interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce! Yes, that is you. There is no need to look behind.

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

There is very little support for the opposition's alternative plan. In fact, even within the opposition there is very little support for this alternative plan. We heard Senator Joyce himself making it very clear publicly that the opposition's plan would be ineffective. Unlike the government's policy, which has been supported by many leading economists—and I note a price on carbon was supported by, amongst others, former Liberal leader John Hewson—not a single economist of any reputation supports the opposition's scheme. Do you know why, Mr President?

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about the 60 per cent of Australians?

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When there is silence we will proceed.

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

The Liberal Party used to believe in market mechanisms, but that legacy has long gone. The reason for it is clear: Mr Abbott will always put politics over policy; pragmatism over policy every time. (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Given the government's claim that only the fine details of the carbon tax still need to be settled, will the minister provide the Senate with some basic information, such as what will be the carbon price?

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

As the Prime Minister made clear in the announcement last night, the full details of the carbon price package will be announced this coming Sunday. What is really interesting is the clamour from the other side for detail because we know they have no interest in the detail of this debate whatsoever. They have no interest in good policy. They have no interest in sound economics. They have no interest in tackling climate change. They are interested only in trying to play politics with this issue.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, just resume your seat. People are wasting question time by constantly interjecting.

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

There was a time when the coalition took a responsible approach to this policy. People might recall in 2006 former Prime Minister John Howard being prepared to address this policy sensibly. People might recall in 2007 the coalition going to an election with a sensible policy to price carbon. But now what we see is the coalition led by a man who will always put pragmatism and politics over good policy and over what is important for Australia's future. No-one watching 7.30 last night could be in any doubt about what sort of leader Mr Abbott is: politics first and never the national interest—always the politics first. I would say this: in years to come—in five or 10 or 15 years time—people will judge those on that side of the chamber very harshly by the lack of responsibility they showed when it came to this important issue of tackling climate change.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that the government have been working on their carbon tax for many months, why are the government trying to avoid parliamentary scrutiny by refusing to announce the details of their carbon tax until after the parliament has risen for the winter recess? Will the government recall the parliament for the announcement and to subject the carbon tax to the appropriate scrutiny rather than trying to bully the commercial networks to broadcast the Prime Minister's carbon tax statements?

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

I am sure the parliament will have plenty of opportunity to scrutinise the legislation which underpins the package, just as the parliament had an extraordinary amount of time to scrutinise the government's previous attempt to put a price on pollution. I would remind those opposite that I think that we had had at last count—and I could be wrong, but this is my recollection—some 17 parliamentary inquiries of one sort or another looking at pricing pollution. In addition, our legislation was presented to this chamber no fewer than three times. That was after—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Wong, just resume your seat. Senator Wong, continue.

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

Thank you, Mr President. The three times the legislation was presented were after public consultation processes on a green paper, a white paper and draft legislation. You know what, Mr President? For those like Senator Abetz, who cannot countenance taking action, such scrutiny never made one iota of difference.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that the government has decided to keep the Australian people in the dark until after the parliament has risen, will the minister assure the Senate that Sunday's statement will contain all the details people need to know, all the exemptions, all the inclusions and all the exclusions and that Sunday's announcement will be the complete and final package?

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

The Prime Minister has made clear that the government will make its announce­ment about the detail of the carbon price package that has been discussed through the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee on Sunday. We have been very clear as a government that we do want to have a conversation with Australians about how this reform will affect them. Unlike those opposite—

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

Your contempt for the Australian people knows no bounds, Penny.

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

I am being lectured by Senator Brandis about being contemptuous. This is again one of those ironic moments. It apprises itself! Even those on your side are finding it hard to hide their smirks, Senator Brandis. But I would say this—

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Continue, Senator.

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

Thank you, Mr President. I would say this: unlike those opposite, we will not engage in fearmongering. We will present the facts and we will have the discussion. (Time expired)

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I am waiting to call Senator Brown so he can be heard in silence.