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

Of course, I can confirm for the member who asked the question that the emissions trading scheme that we will reach after a three-year fixed price period will be an internationally linked scheme—absolutely. Yes, it will, because our nation is linked to the world. You have just heard the Minister for Resources and Energy talk about our history as a great trading nation. We live in a global economy. So, as we transform our economy to a clean energy future, we will ensure through international linking that we can get abatement in carbon pollution at the least cost, and that is achieved through international linking. Anyone who puts the contrary view to you is saying to you that we should transform our economy at a higher cost—that is, we should ask Australian businesses to pay more than they need to and put more on our economy than we need to for this transformation. Looking at the policies of the opposition in this regard, I think—

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