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

I say to the member for Dawson, who asked the question: the best way of cutting carbon pollution is to price carbon. The member for Dawson may want to talk to his constituents about whether they would prefer a scheme where they, the families of Dawson, pay and the money is used to give to big polluters. Before the member for Dawson too forcefully endorses the stunt of the Leader of the Opposition, he may want to go and speak to families in his electorate as to whether they think $80 million would be best spent on a political stunt or $80 million would be best spent on schools and hospitals and assistance for older Australians.

I am sure the member for Dawson will be interested to have those conversations in his community. I doubt he will get too many people who say to him, 'I am very happy to see $80 million wasted on a political stunt,' which the Leader of the Opposition himself has said he would pay no regard to in any event. This is a political stunt, pure and simple, and shrill catcalling in favour of it does not change the character of it. It is a shrill political stunt—nothing more, nothing less.

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