John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hasluck for his question. Can I say very directly that the purpose of this paper is to promote an intelligent debate on the issues of what form an international emissions trading system might take, how that would impact on Australia, what form a national emissions trading system in this country might take and the circumstances in which it might be introduced. I want to make it clear that the formation of this group, which brings together senior members of the federal bureaucracy as well as senior business figures, is a very intelligent and sensible way of trying to get the right outcome in relation to the environment. In joining the business community and the government, I have very much had in mind the dictum of the member for Batman, whom I find a ceaseless source of encouragement and inspiration on this subject, when he said:

It’s time to abandon the political correctness espoused by the green movement. Let’s be real: without getting business on board we cannot achieve anything.

I happen to agree with that. I think the most intelligent way of looking at an emissions trading system either here or internationally is in fact to join the business community to the process, and that is exactly what we have done.

I do make it clear again that we have no intention of introducing an emissions trading scheme which damages Australia’s international competitiveness. We are not going to sacrifice the jobs of coalminers in pursuit of some kind of knee-jerk reaction. We need a measured, sensible, consistent and intelligent reaction to the problem of climate change. Of course, in determining whether a national system might cause damage to our international competitiveness, we must necessarily pay regard to the responses of other nations to the issue of emissions trading.

I think all members of the House would recognise that the people on this group do represent those business interests that would be very directly affected by the introduction of an emissions trading system. I am very grateful to those people for joining it, and I commend the issues paper to all members who are interested in a measured response that protects the jobs of Australians and looks after the interests of the Australian economy.

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