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

You look a bit excitable there, mate. Just relax. Lord Monckton said the climate change negotiations were ‘about to impose a communist government on the world’. Sounds a bit like Senator Minchin, doesn’t it? Lord Monckton also called young climate activists in Copenhagen ‘Hitler Youth’. That is what Lord Monckton had to say. This is the astonishing thing: this guy is even too way out there for Senator Joyce. This is what Senator Joyce, the shadow finance minister, had to say. This is extraordinary:

Obviously I and my constituency have some doubts (about the science) but when you find yourself waltzing with the fringe you should take a step back..

You ought to have a listen to that one, mate. You are way out there.

On the economics, the Leader of the Opposition claims that his policy will reduce emissions by five per cent, and we know that claim to be dishonest; emissions will continue to rise. The Department of Climate Change, as it was reported today, confirms that this is a con job and that emissions are forecast to rise by 13 per cent on year 2000 levels. The advice goes on to say:

The Emissions Reduction Fund is far more complex than has been implied by the Opposition, and certainly more difficult to implement than the CPRS.

It is bad economics, it is bad for the environment and it is a repudiation of the science. Their proposal will cost more and do less, and it is not funded. Any member of this House who accepts the science and respects sound economics will support the legislation that is being debated in this House now. It was accepted by that side of politics less than 10 weeks ago. It is sound public policy. Yours is a farce.

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