Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Twenty-five dollars a week is a big impost for the coalition to be putting on families. It is no wonder that no-one on that side of the House will talk about it. No-one has talked about direct action. Do you have direct action in your speech? No. No-one talks about direct action because everyone knows the truth about it: it costs more, it is inefficient and it will not actually have the outcomes that it says.

We do have assistance, unlike the opposition, who do not have assistance and will lumber the cost on ordinary householders. We are providing assistance for householders. In fact, six million Australian householders will get tax cuts or payment increases that will cover the entire average impact; four million householders will get an extra buffer of assistance that will cover 120 per cent of the average price impact; and over one million householders will not need to lodge a tax return as we will have increased the tax-free threshold. This is significant assistance, which the opposition will tear away and then impose its $25 a week tax on the average householder. So, again, the opposition is peddling a myth. On this side of the House there will be modest cost impacts that we have recognised, and that is why we have assistance. On that side of the House the cost for average householders will be more than double that of the government scheme, but with no assistance.

The other myth that is being peddled constantly by the opposition is that no-one else around the world is acting. Well, if no-one else around the world is acting, it is interesting that there is a bipartisan commitment to the minus-five per cent—but, as I said, no-one on that side of the House seems to be talking about that. The fact is that 89 countries have committed to taking action on climate change. There are 32 countries with an emissions trading scheme, and 10 US states. California, a large economy and the eighth largest in the world, will introduce an emissions trading scheme in 2012. Our top trading partners—China, Japan, the US, Korea and India—have all implemented or are piloting carbon trading or taxation schemes. We know that the EU has had a carbon trading scheme since 2005. New Zealand also has a scheme in place. Even developing countries such as South Africa and Mexico are considering economy-wide emissions targets. So it is a myth the opposition continues to peddle that no-one else around the world is acting. In fact, the evidence is in that there is action on climate change.

Another myth that has been peddled by the Leader of the Opposition is that jobs will be destroyed by the government's policy. This myth has been busted by numerous different economic modelling, including Treasury modelling that shows continued strong jobs growth in this country. New technologies mean new opportunities and new jobs.

Let us be clear: the world is moving forward on this issue. Other countries are investing in clean energy and in innovative industries. This is creating jobs in those countries. If we do not encourage this innovation, we here in Australia will be left behind in the global race for clean-tech jobs. Without change, it will be difficult for our products and services to compete internationally. We are a trading nation and we have continued to benefit from structural economic reforms which have allowed us to look towards the future. I look forward to these new clean-tech industries flourishing in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, in particular at the Mitsubishi site, which is designed to become a clean-tech park supporting investment in jobs for the future. The opposition continues to peddle its myths, but we will be judged on the basis of the strong growth we achieve—strong growth for jobs today and strong growth for jobs in the future.

Australia must use its current strength to ensure that we remain strong in the future. Australia is now in a position to move to a clean energy future. Employment is projected to grow strongly, with 1.6 million jobs to be created by 2020. The carbon price will support $100 billion worth of investment in renewable energy over the next 40 years.

As a Labor government we have always done our best in the past—and will always do our best in the future—to ensure that Australians are fully supported throughout the move to clean energy. The government has said that we want action on climate change and therefore we intend to lead the way. We will do this in the most economically responsible way, the most economically efficient way and the most environmentally efficient and effective way. This is unlike the opposition, who continue to dillydally on both sides of the road—half committed to their policy, half not; half committed to their target, half not; sometimes siding with the climate change deniers and sometimes saying, 'Oh yes, we would like to tackle climate change, just in a different way.' They need to get their policy right. Their current policy is expensive—double, as I said, the impact on households and with no compensation.

I am proud to be part of a government that is not afraid to confront the challenges that face Australia. This government is prepared to protect Australia's environmental and economic future. I certainly hope that the coalition will start listening to sense and do the same. We know the member for Wentworth, if he gets the chance, will be on our side—he knows that this is the right thing for Australia. He knows that the opposition is just playing games when it comes to climate change. This issue is too important to play games with. This issue is something that we need to tackle for tomorrow, for 10 years, for 20 years, for 30 years, for 100 years. I believe, as the Prime Minister said, that history will judge the votes we have in this House over the next few weeks and I am pleased that this government and I will be on the right side of history. I ask the coalition to think seriously about what side of history they will be on. (Time expired)

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