Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and COAG and Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader on Emissions Trading Design) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Resources and Energy. Can the minister confirm that he personally has been told of investment projects that have already been lost to Australia because of the great uncertainty embodied in the government’s green paper on an emissions trading scheme?

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for the question and in doing so indicate that the government is in detailed discussions with a range of industries about the nature of the green paper going to the development of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in Australia. The government are serious about not only getting the scheme right domestically but also making sure that we pull our weight internationally—hence the government’s commitment to work with like-minded nations on clean coal technology and carbon capture and storage. It is also fair to say that, in giving proper consideration to these matters, industry have raised their concerns. It is a genuine green paper process, and our responsibility is to take those concerns on board so as to guarantee that we produce a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme which is right economically, in terms of ensuring that Australia is still an attractive place for investment, and also guarantees that we make progress in accordance with our election commitment on reducing carbon dioxide emissions.