Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is extremely important to debate this motion in this chamber, because it reflects a fundamental discussion the Australian community is having about the future of our natural environment, our care and concern for it, and how this government is take sensible, proportionate, practical measures to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions with the sanction and support of the Australian people, consistent with the proposition that we took to the election.

Ultimately, because we're talking about a transition of the economy—a transition that will occur—to reduce our CO2 footprint and equivalent greenhouse gases, and the fact that there are trade-offs, it is fundamentally a discussion about how we're going to take Australians forward and not leave people behind. More critically, it is a discussion about trust—trust that governments will honour the positions they take to the public at election. The objective of this motion is to break that trust by declaring something, and if it's serious—and Labor and other members present who support this motion are serious—re-orientate the entirety of the Australian economy and society towards a singular purpose. We do do this from time to time. We do it in times of war. We do it when the threat posed is so immediate and extreme that every single other concern goes out the window. If Labor are not honestly putting forward that proposition and backing it up with policy, then it's a dishonest motion. So, no matter which way you deal with it, it's an issue around trust.

If we support this motion, we are turning on the Australian people and showing contempt for them and their concerns, for their livelihood, their jobs and their interests. We face a situation where the Australian Labor Party are showing contempt for the voters of Australia—and they do so because, at every point, the opposition has sought to do one thing on the issue of climate change and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, which is to trade on the trust from the Australian people and make ridiculous allegations about what is and isn't being done. Of course, we know full well that trust is not an issue that the opposition cares much for. After all, we do remember where the 'there will be no carbon tax under a government I lead' ended up, and they're continuing to do that in the way they approach this issue, because we've seen that their rhetoric does not match their action. Only last week, the International Monetary Fund released a report saying that even if we were to go down the path that the Labor Party or the Greens want us to, you would need a carbon tax in excess of US$75, more than A$111. Let them get up here now and argue that that's what they want and that that's what they will support in this chamber right now. Of course, we know they won't, because this is a dishonest motion. We know they won't, because it doesn't enjoy the support of the Australian people. We know they won't, because it's actually not sustainable policy—by the way, that was the start, not the end. We know it won't actually deliver the sustainable transition for the Australian economy that this nation needs.

Instead, we, the government, took clear policy proposals to the last election. Twice we have gone to an election saying we will support and honour our targets under the Paris agreement to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions between 26 and 28 per cent, and we are doing so. We have massive investment in major new base load energy generation in this country, whether it's the extension of the Snowy Hydro project or connecting more of the surplus wasted energy provided over to the Australian mainland. To take lectures from the Greens—let's not forget who the Greens are: a political party founded on opposing investment in renewable energy in Tasmania. We are doing everything we can with the trust of the Australian people. What the Labor Party and the Greens want us to do is break that trust. (Time expired)

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