Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) Share this | Hansard source

And, as to those who come in, I just hope that the member for Tangney comes in during the discussion of this. I just hope that those who have gone out into the electorate and who have said that they do oppose the science of climate change have the courage to stand in this parliament and vote the way they say. There are those who have been so brave on talkback radio—who have had all the bravery in the world in being willing to say that they are opposed to the science and that they reckon all of this is rubbish and some global conspiracy. I say to those members of parliament: 'Walk in now,' because now is their chance. Now is their chance to let it be known whether or not they are going to vote the way of their official party platform, or whether they have any integrity in the views that they put out there publicly, because there will be a moment where this is put to a vote on the voices and there are no sceptics on this side of the House. There is no-one on this side of the House who would be voting no. But we will only divide if the sceptics on that side have the courage to be in the room for the vote. It is only if they have the courage to come in and put voice within the parliament to what they have been willing to say outside the parliament that will determine whether or not we have the division. And that is something that they will not be able to hide behind anymore.

I welcome the fact that the member for Lyne has brought this debate on. I welcome the fact that, much to the surprise of many members of the opposition, the Leader of the Opposition decided to grant leave to have this. I welcome the fact that we are able to have the discussion upfront on the science of climate change. To those members of parliament who, up until now, have sought to hide within the parliament but make all sorts of extraordinary claims outside the parliament, I say: if you believe that there is anything that backs up the global conspiracy theory on the science of climate change, walk into this chamber now.

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