Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Is the minister aware of reports of a new emissions trading scheme announced yesterday? What is the government’s response to such a scheme?

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Give us that lecture about—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Melbourne!

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Happy to, any time, mate.

Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a good economics lecture—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Melbourne is warned!

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, that’s fixed him! I thank the member for Bowman for his question and also for his interest in ensuring that Australia’s economy continues to grow. In its climate change policy this government has the balance right between lowering emissions and maintaining economic growth. Companies like Xstrata, for instance, have benefited from that policy. Xstrata not only is the biggest exporter of coal in Australia but pays almost $1 billion in taxes, earns billions of dollars in exports and employs 5,000 people in the coal industry and some 3,000 people in the base metals industry, all of whose jobs would be in danger if the policies of those opposite and of their counterparts at a state level in regard to emissions trading were adopted.

Yesterday the states launched their plans for an emissions trading scheme, which by their own admission will increase the price of electricity and drive Australian industry, jobs and investment offshore. But don’t take my word for it—let us listen to what some Australian organisations have said. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have said that the states’ proposal will ‘reduce the international competitiveness of our strongest industries’. They go on to say: ‘On just about any rational policy measure it’s a failure, and more about political symbolism than achieving real results.’ There are even those in the Labor Party who would agree with that.

The Premier of Western Australia has rejected the scheme outright, saying it raises ‘a number of concerns for WA, including the possible impact on the WA economy and electricity costs for WA consumers’. In Queensland, Premier Beattie is trying to walk both sides of the street. In one breath he has described Australia’s emissions as ‘chickenfeed’ and yet in the same breath he has not committed Queensland either to supporting the scheme or to opposing the scheme. It is about time Peter Beattie stopped walking both sides of the street and was honest with Queenslanders about putting Australia’s interests first and about putting their jobs first. Any concerns state premiers may have will be swept aside if the Leader of the Opposition ever gets into power and puts in place his emission trading scheme. It will not only slow economic growth; it will increase the price of electricity and petrol and cost Australians jobs.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Is he aware of these comments made by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage during Senate estimates hearings on 16 February of this year in relation to emissions trading:

I think carbon trading schemes are part of the policy answer ... There is nothing radical about supporting trading schemes.

Is the minister also aware of these comments made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on 31 July 2005:

We know that emissions can’t continue at their current rate ... we’ll have to investigate price signals coming from energy ... You can get more investment into cleaner energy through changing pricing signals ...

Does the minister agree with these comments? If so, when will emissions trading become part of the Howard government’s policy answer, as proposed to cabinet by the Treasurer and the then environment minister in their 2003 submission—a submission supported by your department?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Grayndler will be aware that it is not in order to ask a minister to comment on another minister’s quotations. However, if the minister chooses to answer the question, I will call the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources.

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Of course I would never take the member for Grayndler’s quotes without first checking them against the record. The reality is that the solutions to lowering Australia’s emissions and lowering the world’s emissions lie in technology. That is the policy that this government has adopted.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Grayndler has asked his question.

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Labor Party is quite happy to trade away the jobs of Australians in pursuit of an idealistic policy. This government will never trade away Australian jobs. We will always find practical solutions that lower greenhouse gas emissions.