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

Mr Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. The country at present is wrestling with many global challenges. The global economic recession is one of them. Here at home we are seeking to build the education revolution to make sure that our young people have the best chances for tomorrow. We are investing in our health and hospital system to make sure that we can build a better healthcare system against global standards. We are ensuring that we are acting to close the gap with Indigenous Australians. And we are also wrestling with the huge challenge of climate change, a challenge which I think all fair-minded Australians would agree was entirely ignored by those opposite in the 12 years in which they were in office. Those opposite refused even step 1, which was to ratify the Kyoto Protocol—the entry point in dealing with this matter internationally, and they could not bring themselves to the post.

The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation is important, not only in terms of Australia playing its part in bringing down greenhouse gas emissions, but also for business certainty and the economy. That is why you have statements from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Climate Institute, Pacific Hydro, the Ai Group, the Business Council of Australia, BP Australasia’s president, as well as Shell’s chairman all talking about the need for one core thing on climate change and the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme—that is, certainty for the business environment. Calls for example that said, ‘We call on the Australian parliament to ensure passage of both the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and RET this year to make sure it happens, to ensure also that we have certainty for business.’

That is why the government have worked hard to have this legislation prepared for the parliament. That is why we have introduced legislation and why we are expecting this legislation to be dealt with in the Senate. But I am advised today that what has happened in the Senate is that the opposition have reordered government business in the Senate to push the CPRS back. They have such strength of leadership that they have now resolved to vote not to vote. It goes to the absolute shambles that the opposition now find themselves in. There is an absence of leadership on something as basic as alcopops: they cannot even present themselves to vote and they are disunited on that as well. There is an absolute lack of unity on the question of climate change and the CPRS and the RET. They cannot unite themselves even to bring on a vote for the simple reason that they fear they will split right down the middle. There is an absence of leadership also in the handling of the matter which is before the parliament now. That matter before the parliament now goes to this email scandal.

We have had I believe a debate in this place in recent days about honesty in public life. This is an important debate. It goes to the integrity of leadership. It is one which the entire parliament should be seized with and engaged in. It is basic to all of our engagements in public life. Mr Speaker, I would have thought—

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