Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I will come to the question of Senate filibusters in a minute, Mr Speaker, but to quote further from Pacific Hydro—and I note the opposition’s continued sensitivity on the whole raft of climate change matters which are before the parliament at the moment—Mr Rob Grant said:

Pacific Hydro’s investment alone will create thousands of jobs mainly in regional areas in areas such as road building, concreting, steel fixing and steel fabrication.

And he went on to say:

… we must legislate the RET—

the renewable energy target—

as quickly as possible to create new jobs and limit the impact of the global economic crisis.

That is what Pacific Hydro had to say.

But that is where we get to the position of obstruction on the part of the opposition. What we see from those opposite at present is a decision today by the opposition to delay the passage of the renewable energy target legislation. I refer to the Sydney Morning Herald and an article there which brings to our attention the intention of Mr Turnbull, the Leader of the Opposition, to direct his Senate colleagues to filibuster next week to prevent a vote on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. Not having the courage to vote for climate change is one thing, but not having the courage to allow any vote on climate change is something else. In fact on this critical challenge of climate change for Australia, I would say that filibustering is not leadership, it is just absolute opportunism, and that is what we have on the part of those opposite.

Remember that great senator from South Carolina, Strom Thurmond, an anti-integration senator from the south? I think he has the world record—24 hours, I think—for filibustering. I say to those opposite: can you get on with the business of passing this legislation. The nation needs it.

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