Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The proposal that was considered by the government that the former Prime Minister had brought to cabinet and had been considered by that government had a 26 per cent emissions reduction target. What the Labor Party is proposing is to legislate, to make law, a 45 per cent emissions reduction target. That is what the Labor Party is proposing, and, no, on this side of the House, the Liberal and Nationals parties, we do not support a 45 per cent emissions reduction target, which is part of the Labor Party's plan.

Now, they might like to dress up their 45 per cent emissions reduction target as a national energy guarantee, but it is a 45 per cent emissions reduction target which is a thumping big electricity tax. It will force up people's electricity prices, whether you are a pensioner or you're a householder raising kids or you're a small or family business. Labor's policies will mean that Australians will pay more. They will pay more in taxes. They'll pay more for their electricity. They'll pay more for their private health insurance. They will pay more under what Labor is proposing because Labor think the only way to run a government is to make everything cost more, to put your taxes up. And do you know why they do that? It is because they don't know how to run a strong economy. They don't know how to manage a budget. That is their history every time they get into government, and the people of Australia know it. They know that the Leader of the Labor Party and all of the Labor Party members cannot manage money. They cannot manage a budget, and that's why they can't be trusted in government to run a budget—because, if you can't run a budget and you can't run an economy, you can't guarantee essential services.

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