Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I was going to the issue of climate change and the importance of the economy. Our investment in climate change actually goes to the issue of the future of the Australian economy, because unless we invest in clean energy we do not have energy security in Australia. And energy security goes to the heart of the debate in the House this afternoon in question time: the strength of the Australian economy, our capacity to invest in infrastructure and our capacity to create new jobs in Australia and to skill Australia in new challenges with respect to job growth and investment by the private sector in Australia. It also goes to the issue of productivity—just like climate change, another issue that the former government never confronted over 12 years. So, as we leave question time this afternoon, at the end of a long parliamentary session, just think about this comparison.

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