Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is directed again to the Prime Minister. It relates in part to his earlier answer concerning the British Labour Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that Mr David Cameron, leader of the British Conservative party, stated in April this year:

It’s become fashionable in certain circles to dismiss the Kyoto agreement. That’s a mistake. Kyoto provides a model for international partnership on climate change, and we should build on it.

Is the Prime Minister also aware that Jan Petersen, former foreign minister of Norway and current Deputy Chairman of the International Democratic Union, said in June 2005:

The Kyoto Protocol on climate change, although it may have its limitations, is the only international instrument available for addressing the problem reasonably effectively.

Given that the Prime Minister is Chairman of the International Democratic Union, why can’t he do what every other self-respecting conservative is doing and ratify Kyoto?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When I make decisions on climate change and the Kyoto protocol, I do not speak for a particular political philosophy; I speak for my country—and it is in my country’s interests not to go down the European path. What the Leader of the Opposition has done with that question is reveal the Labor Party’s thinking on this issue. It is European based thinking, because he quoted countries whose economies are fundamentally different to Australia’s economy. If I applied a British solution to an Australian problem in relation to climate change, I would be doing great injury to my country. I have absolutely no intention of doing that.