Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Minister Wong. Is the minister aware that Adelaide Brighton, a leading concrete manufacturer in her home state of South Australia, has recently announced a $2.7 million profit drop and has warned of future hits to its earnings attributed to the introduction of the Gillard government's carbon tax? Can the minister explain how the government can stand by its claim that the world's biggest carbon tax will not penalise South Australian industry and, therefore, send South Australian jobs offshore?

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

I am aware of the comments by Adelaide Brighton Cement. When I was the minister for climate change, that was one of the companies with whom I dealt in the context of putting together what was then the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. The government has put in place a very significant amount of assistance—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senator Wong, continue.

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

The government has put together a substantial amount of assistance in the jobs and competitiveness package very much having regard to those industries that are trade exposed. There is a substantial amount of assistance for industries which are emissions intensive and trade exposed through the provision of free permits, which will significantly alleviate the effect of a carbon price. The good senator also asked about jobs in South Australia. I would say to him this: the coalition's policy is to drastically cut and end continued support for the car industry, which, as he knows, is very important to the economy of South Australia.

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

How does this relate to cement?

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

I was asked about jobs in South Australia. If you think the car industry is irrelevant to jobs in South Australia—

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

Senator Wong, ignore the interjections and just address your comments to the chair.

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

I will take that interjection and I would make the point that South Australian senators who come in here and lecture the government on jobs in South Australia while backing in the coalition's ending of assistance to the car sector, really, have no basis on which to make such an assertion. They have no grounds to stand on and some people might even say there is a touch of hypocrisy in those who ask such questions. We are very conscious, as a government, of the importance of supporting jobs, which is why we have put in place a very substantial amount of assistance through the jobs and competitiveness package. (Time expired)

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Despite trade assistance, Adelaide Brighton is predicting a further net $5.4 million drop in profit in its first full year following the introduction of the carbon tax. How is the government planning to compensate the additional costs for every business in South Australia, particularly when the industry is already facing difficult conditions as a result of weakening demand, increasing labour costs and a high Australian dollar?

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

In relation to the carbon price, I would again remind a senator, we have a very substantial amount of assistance through the jobs and competitiveness package. We recognise also that many businesses will be able to pass on the price increase to consumers and that is reflected in the assessment of the appropriateness of household compensation. That is why we are providing additional assistance to Australian households, to reflect the fact that there will be some prices that will be passed on. I would remind the senator his party supports an increase in the company tax levy to fund the Paid Parental Leave scheme that the shadow cabinet does not support. I would remind the senator that his party supports a policy which will cost Australian families $1,300 additional tax, for which they will not get any assistance. So, if he really cares about ensuring that our transition to a low-pollution economy is managed sensibly, he certainly would not be supporting the position that Mr Abbott is proposing.

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware that Adelaide Brighton is planning on moving part of its clinker business offshore to mitigate the additional costs as a result of the government's carbon tax? What is the government's message to the 1,300 workers from Adelaide Brighton whose jobs may disappear as a direct consequence of this government's job-destroying carbon tax?

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

I am not aware of any detail of commercial decisions which might have been made or are proposed to be made by Adelaide Brighton Cement.

Senator Brandis interjecting—

Yes, it is Senator Brandis. I am not in the boardrooms of every company in Australia. That is true. I wish I was as smart as Senator Brandis though and I might actually know it all, wouldn't I?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Did you just call him a know-it-all?

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

I did call him a know-it-all.

Government senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senator Wong, continue.

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

This government is committed to supporting Australian jobs. That commitment has been demonstrated through our response to the global financial crisis. That commitment is demonstrated by the fact there are 200,000 Australians in jobs who would not otherwise be had we followed the advice of the Leader of the Opposition. Our commitment is demon­strated by the fact that we have put substantial assistance in our clean energy package to support jobs and competitiveness. Our commitment is demonstrated by the investment in skills that we know is critical to give Australians the tools to get the jobs not just of today but of the future.