Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Who was it? It was the member for Wentworth. That is what he said: ‘By bringing transport fuels into the Australian emissions-trading system consumers will be given greater incentive to improve their energy efficiency and transport choices.’ That is what he had to say. He is trying to crab-walk away from the Howard government policy that he was claiming credit for only last year. What does this demonstrate? That those opposite are completely spineless when it comes to facing up to the great challenges of the future. They are yesterday’s men and women in every sense. They are economic and environmental Neanderthals. We had all these old arguments from them before. We had them against Kyoto. They do not have one ounce of policy courage when it comes to facing up to this challenge of climate change. They are simply prepared to be irresponsible, to play short-term politics and to sell the nation’s future down the drain. They should be condemned.

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