Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

This debate is not, as it has been presented by the opposition, a debate about a choice between action and inaction; it is about a choice between policies, and it is a choice between the right way to deal with this, the right way to deal with a real and genuine issue, and the wrong way. The wrong way encompasses saying no to any serious attempts to clean up power stations, because of a theological opposition to coal and gas; no to dealing with 16 per cent of the world’s energy through nuclear energy, because of a theological opposition within the party that would aspire to governance; and no to further renewable power through hydro energy—or do you suddenly support new dams? In reality, they say, ‘We want decreased emissions’—that is what they want—but the practice is to say no to the three things which, globally, will make the greatest difference: no to the big renewables, in terms of hydro; no to nuclear, even though that would be saving 16 per cent of the world’s emissions through providing that amount of energy; and no to seriously cleaning up coal and looking at that as we go around the world.

What are they saying yes to? They are saying yes to a petrol tax for families and low-income earners. They are saying yes to a heating tax on pensioners and low-income families. Here is the chance the member for Kingsford Smith has to turn around and say: ‘We are going to rule out a petrol tax. We are going to rule out a pensioners’ heating tax.’ If you want to say that you have policies here, you had better stand up and define what they are. Do you rule out a petrol tax? Do you rule out a pensioners’ heating tax? Do you rule out a heating tax which is going to strike at low-income families, which is going to strike at farmers, which is going to strike at those who are least able to deal with it? You talked about intergenerational equity, and this debate, in real terms of intergenerational equity, is about making sure that we do not sell out the present as well as making sure that we do not sell out the future. That means that you have to be able to look motorists, pensioners and farmers in the eye and say to them, ‘Yes, I am going to slug you with a petrol tax; yes, I am going to slug you with a pensioners’ heating tax,’ or rule those out. You are right here on the floor of the House. You can pretend you do not hear, but you know the challenge is before you right now. That is the question.

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