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

To the member who asked the question, once again we reserve the right to check the facts because we have found consistently this week, including in the area involving agriculture, meatworks and the like, that the opposition has come into this parliament and claimed things that are simply wrong. So we reserve the right to check what is being asserted by the member. Why would we be surprised at all that the opposition would be asserting things that are wrong? This is the same opposition that said Whyalla would be wiped off the map. This is the same opposition that said there would be no coal mining anymore. This is the same opposition that said there would be astronomical increases in the price of living. This is the same opposition that has gone up and down the country peddling fear instead of facts.

I would remind the member who asked the question that in assessing the impact of carbon pricing on a small business, what we find from the opposition is that they are coming in here and either getting it entirely wrong or are seeking to misrepresent the position. Electricity prices are only one component—

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