Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in opposition to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2013 [No. 2], and I want to speak on some concerns of process as well as some matters of substance. On the process, it is extraordinary that, in a week when we have heard so much cant about freedom, again we see a major debate in this place gagged. Going to that point, I should congratulate the member for Swan, because he did in fact talk about the legislation that is before the parliament, unlike the member for Hughes. He talked about Labor rushing to get the chequebook. I think what we are doing here is rushing through this legislative process when there is some significant evidence we should be considering, not least the rationale adopted by the Senate in rejecting this legislation late last year and the important work done by the Senate committee, which I will turn to briefly.

It is telling that the broad attitude of the coalition can be summed up by two things here: (1) a failure to engage with the fundamental challenge that is combating climate change; and (2) utter lack of interest in the substance of the bill that is before us. It is quite extraordinary that the member for Hughes spent most of his time talking about the investment decisions the member for Rankin and I can make. He obviously has great confidence in our financial capacity to make these investments—misplaced confidence—but he has nothing to say about the legislation that is before us.

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