Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his statement in answer to the last question that the Kyoto protocol was ‘never an effective international agreement’. Prime Minister, do you recollect the statement of your then environment minister, former Senator Hill, when he said on 30 March 2000:

There are those who foolishly believe that Australia has something to win by derailing the Kyoto protocol. As an expression of our commitment to the Kyoto outcome, the Howard Government ensured that Australia was among the first nations to sign the Protocol.

Prime Minister, do you recollect the statement of your then Minister for Resources and Energy, Warwick Parer:

The Kyoto Protocol provides a sound basis for protecting Australia’s export competitiveness and employment prospects in our minerals processing and energy export industries ...

I also ask you, Prime Minister, whether you remember this quote from your former Deputy Prime Minister—the Deputy Prime Minister when he made it:

... the Kyoto agreement permitting Australia an 8% increase in emissions of 6 greenhouse gases by 2012 over 1990 levels will preserve the interests of farmers, miners, manufacturing industry and the economy in general.

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