John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

With the exception of the member for North Sydney, who I know is doing everything he can in the party room to accommodate the government’s desire to get its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation through the Senate this week. I am sure he will make a lasting and invaluable contribution. It is very difficult to invest in green skills, green jobs and green infrastructure when so many of the former government’s members, as the member for North Sydney knows, including the former Prime Minister, do not believe in anthropogenic climate change. That was the experience under the Howard government and, I am sad to say, that is why we are now suffering as a consequence. Unfortunately, scepticism still reigns supreme with some in the Liberal Party. Day after day, we hear from disgruntled opposition backbenchers, like the member for O’Connor, who do not believe the science of climate change and who continue to vote against measures that will enable Australia to take responsible action to address this great environmental challenge. I understand that even in yesterday’s party room this took place and that people were still challenging the science on climate change.

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