Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

But Australia is not an American state. We will make our own decisions in our national interest. The mid-term elections in America did not determine policy for us. We are Australians; we will make our own decisions. We will make our own decisions in this parliament, where the government has seized the opportunity presented by this parliament to see if we can work through for a parliamentary and community consensus on the most efficient way of dealing with carbon, and that is to put a price on it. The most efficient way of reducing carbon pollution is to put a price on carbon pollution. I am of that view; economists are of that view; President Obama is of that view. Right around the world nations are working through how best to deal with carbon, including pricing carbon.

If the member does want to slavishly follow American examples—and I believe we are Australians and we will make our own decisions—then perhaps he would want to look to the example of California. As he would well know, if California were a nation it would be sitting at the table of the G20. It has moved to price carbon in its economy. In this public policy challenge of pricing carbon, my invitation remains to those on the opposition benches to turn away from their strategy of wrecking and looking for popular slogans, and to work with the government to get a measure done in the nation’s interest. That is the approach we are taking, because I do not believe that it is in the interests of this nation to not deal with the challenge of pricing carbon, or to not deal with the transformation of our economy to a low-pollution economy. We are determined to deal with this challenge and to work our way through.

Members opposite, including the Leader of the Opposition, have had every position possible on this, the Leader of the Opposition changing his mind every 24 hours—famously called a weather vane by the member for Wentworth. Now is the time to put those politics aside and to work with the government on something so clearly in our national interest. National interest before political interest: try it just once.

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