Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Cowan in fact went on to say this in response to the question: ‘Well, money into the economy is obviously—people do actually spend money, and so there has been some consumer reaction out of that.’ The member for Cowan, along with other members of the opposition, of course, thinks it is fine to come in here and vote against the stimulus package, which is having demonstrable positive economic and employment effects, but to go out into the community and adopt an entirely different position. Consistency in politics is extremely important. You cannot, on the issue of climate change, say or present the impression that you support one leg of the institutional changes that are necessary—that is, the renewable energy target—but at the same time never get your act together to present a positive policy position on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and bringing a carbon price into this economy.

This is the most significant reform that any government has ever endeavoured to undertake, in the face of one of the greatest challenges that we face, and you cannot produce a policy. The time is coming when the coalition is going to have to overcome the divisions within its ranks, overcome the scepticism about the climate—and the member for North Sydney is not here at the moment. He is fairly typical of the inconsistency as well, Mr Speaker.

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