Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I was asked about the consequences of not taking action. We on this side of the House are determined to take action and, of course, the wreckers opposite are going to try to stop us taking the action which goes to the very core of economic prosperity in this country. Of course, they are doing that because the Leader of the Opposition does not believe in the science. His puppeteer and the man who installed him in his job, Senator Minchin, was out there today making it clear that the Liberal and National parties do not believe the science of climate change.

There are some on the other side who do believe in the science of climate change and do understand its importance to a prosperous economy. We had the member for Wentworth completely repudiate the Leader of the Opposition on this question last week, but he is so incapable of making a tough decision that he could not even discipline the member for Wentworth. He could not do any of that because what we have is a Leader of the Opposition who will not face up—

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