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

This is because of circumstances for the industry. The Leader of the Opposition cannot say that financial results from last year were somehow impacted by the government's plans to price carbon. Yes, it is a tough time in steel; yes, businesses have been losing money; yes, of course there is pressure from the high Australian dollar; and, yes, I listen to the views of the local members who represent the steel industry in this place when we talk about how we can support the steel industry.

I also say to the Leader of the Opposition that his gross irresponsibility is to pretend that those real issues for steel are something to do with carbon pricing. It is actually contemptuous of the workers in steel and contemptuous of the Australian steel industry. I am sure that the people who represent steel in this place will be going back to their electorates to make that perfectly clear. He could not care less; it is just fodder for his fear campaign.

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