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

I thank the member for Calwell for her question on the very important topic of using facts and evidence to design policies. The Australian people can be reassured that this government is acting on the basis of the facts and the evidence rather than peddling fear as we see this negative opposition do. On climate change, the scientific evidence is in and it is beyond doubt. The science tells us that human emissions of greenhouse gases, with carbon dioxide being the most important, have been the primary trigger of climate change since at least the 1950s. The science tells us that current carbon emissions are 37 per cent larger than they were in the 1990s. The science is telling us to act and we are determined to act.

When we turn to the question of cigarette smoking, the science is also unbelievably clear. Smoking kills over 15,000 Australians per year. It is the leading cause of cancer and we do know from scientific studies that plain paper packaging will make a difference. We have accepted the evidence.

But on the other side we see a complete denial of the evidence. They would rather peddle fear than deal with the facts and deal with the evidence. We know that Senator Nick Minchin has been out leading the sceptics within the opposition denying the science of climate change and we know that the opposition is refusing to accept the scientific studies which show the way in which plain packaging will make a difference. I would say to those opposite, and particularly to the Leader of the Opposition, that they should not continue to oppose effective action on climate change and they should not oppose further action to reduce smoking rates in our society.

The confusion on the opposition side knows no bounds. We actually increased the excise on smoking because the science told us that it would reduce smoking rates. That was clear. And at one point, the shadow minister for health agreed with us. Indeed, he was agreeing with us as recently as 24 May—that is, this week he was agreeing with us. He was saying that he proposed, along with the Leader of the Opposition, an increase of $2 billion in excise because pricing works. But then the Leader of the Opposition actually unravelled that support for an excise increase when he spoke—

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