Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. Does the minister agree with her South Australian Senate colleague Senator Gallacher, who is quoted in the Adelaide Advertiser today as saying that a carbon tax could cause small businesses running large trucks to 'go broke or cut corners'? Can the minister guarantee that the carbon tax will not apply to fuel used by small businesses running large trucks?

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

I have been asked again to give details of a package that the government will be announcing on Sunday, and I do not propose to do that. I am interested to know whether or not Senator Birmingham is one of the so-called ginger group of modest members who have been set up to ensure that the coalition does not desert—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Senator Wong, resume your seat. When there is silence—

Government senators interjecting—

On my right!

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

Mr President, I raise a point of order on the grounds of direct relevance. As usual, this minister spends the first half of her question period attacking the questioner because she is incapable of answering. But the question was: did she agree with a colleague? That is not hypothetical or asking for a future policy announcement.

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

That is not a point of order. I have ruled it is not a point of order. Senator Wong, you have one minute and 29 seconds in which to respond to the question.

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

If one is asked about agreement with one's colleagues, I would have thought the coalition would not mind being reminded that some of them do not agree with the deserting of rational economic policy. This is what this group is: set up to ensure the coalition does not desert rational economic policy.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

I am going to draw the minister's attention to the question. I draw the minister's attention to the question. Minister, you have one minute and 11 seconds remaining to answer the question.

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

Thank you, Mr President. In relation to petrol, I have indicated in this chamber the position of the government—I think on a number of occasions yesterday. The Prime Minister has indicated it. In relation to further detail—as I said also, I think, on a number of occasions yesterday—those details will be announced on Sunday.

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

Conveniently to avoid parliamentary scrutiny.

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

I will take that inter­jection, Senator Brandis. The interjection from Senator Brandis is about parliamentary scrutiny. I again remind this chamber of the extent of the scrutiny of the previous legislation to price carbon.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Senator Wong, would you just resume your seat. Your colleagues—those on both my left and my right—are having a discussion which makes it absolutely impossible to hear what you are saying.

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

As I was saying, the interjection—if I may take it—from Senator Brandis relating to parliamentary scrutiny belies the fact that that side of politics and that side of the chamber had many opportun­ities to scrutinise the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. They had many inquiries. We had months and months with many inquiries, and it made not one iota of difference. One knows that, no matter how much scrutiny you would have on this occasion, you will not shift position. (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a modest supplementary question. Can the minister explain how many other businesses—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I would ask senators to show respect for the person asking the question by listening to the question in silence.

Senator Conroy interjecting—

Senator Conroy!

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is the second time you have mentioned him. Thank you, Mr President. Can the minister explain how many other businesses in other industries will face the prospect, in Senator Gallacher's words, of 'going broke or cutting corners' as a result of Labor's carbon tax?

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

From Senator Birmingham I might accept a modest question; it would be much harder to accept from Senator Brandis, I suspect.

Senator Brandis interjecting—

Take it in good humour, George!

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I remind senators that this is question time. It is not a time for a chat across the chamber. If you wish to have a chat about the attributes of each other, you may go outside. Senator Wong, continue. You have 46 seconds remaining.

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

I will just say this, Mr President: if Senator Brandis buys me a beer later, I will tell him who laughed and who did not then. I am asked essentially about the nature of the government's package. As I have previously said, that will be announced on Sunday. As the government has made clear, this is a plan to price pollution because we want to reduce it. It will be a plan that looks to the future, not to the past; it will be a plan that is based on facts and not on fear; and it will be a plan that recognises the climate science. All of those attributes are missing from the current coalition benches. All of those attributes of policy are missing from the coalition benches. (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister heed the warnings of her Labor colleagues with experience in the transport sector, such as Senator Gallacher and Senator Sterle, about the impact of the government's carbon tax on road freight and other transport related costs, or can we expect Labor MPs and senators to behave like lobotomised zombies once the carbon tax is released on Sunday?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

When there is silence on both sides we will proceed. I call the minister.

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

I am asked about lobotomised zombies by the man who used to support a price on carbon and who used to support an emissions trading scheme. Give us a break! This is extraordinary, isn't it? We have those who used to believe that climate change is real, who used to believe the science was correct, who used to accept the advice from Australia's and the world's best scientists, who used to look to rational economic policy to deal with it, and who now are lining up with those who believe that climate change is 'absolute crap'. And they come in here and tell us that we are zombies! What an absolute joke. In years to come, people—

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. Senator Wong, you have got 15 seconds remaining.

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

The reality is Senator Birmingham and those on that side who ought to know better, who know that climate change is real and know the risk it presents to future generations, really are doing their constituents and this nation a great disservice by their silence at this time.

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

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.