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

To the question by the Leader of the National Party, I would say that, as usual, what we are seeing is an attempt by the opposition to make wild claims and cause fear in the Australian community. We have seen it consistently with the claims about astronomical increases in the cost of living. We have seen it consistently with the Leader of the Opposition saying the coal industry would close. We have seen it consistently with the Leader of the Opposition saying Whyalla would be wiped off the map. We have seen it as the Leader of the Opposition has used working people as if they were props in a drama or a play that he was directing—standing next to a steelworker whose job he was not prepared to vote to support, or standing next to a car worker whose job he was not prepared to support. We have seen all of these tricks from the opposition as part of their fear campaign. To the opposition I say this: on 1 July we will see the truth, and the reckless claims of the opposition will crash to the ground at that time. The Leader of the Opposition will then have to explain to the Australian people why he spent month after month after month after month making such wildly inaccurate claims about carbon pricing, whilst doing absolutely no work on the policies that would make a difference to the nation's future.

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