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

I thank the member for his question because putting in place a price on carbon is a very significant and fundamental reform for the future of our country. In the past when this country has faced up to the challenges before it and put in place very significant reforms, like we did in the late eighties and early nineties, there were always very big scare campaigns being run during those times, particularly by those opposite. And they are at it again. The fact is that our economy would not have come through the global recession in the shape that it did if it had not been for the actions that were put in place during that period, particularly reforms like national superannuation, which was so important to get us through the global recession. The point I want to make is that you have to face up to the hard reforms if you want to be honest with people. If you want to talk to people about the future, you cannot put the hard reforms in the too-hard basket.

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