Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

The fact is that for 11 years the Howard government did not even acknowledge the existence of climate change. Now they are coming into the House to ask us questions about the economic impacts of actually doing something about it. That is the gesture that we are witnessing in the House today. I remember very well when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change first produced a set of data which suggested that there was the possibility that we may have an increase in temperatures on this planet of some four to six degrees and the question was put to the then Prime Minister, Mr Howard, as to what the impact of that would be on the people of Australia and our planet, and he said that it would be uncomfortable for some. Let me tell you, Mr Speaker, that it will be uncomfortable for some if they get up to the dispatch box and ask us questions about climate change, because their record is one that can be condemned with every answer that is given. Let me continue, Mr Speaker. Don’t wave your fingers at me, Joe.

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