Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science and Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change. What are the barriers to tackling climate change?

Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Melbourne Ports for his question. As I indicated yesterday, and as the House is well aware, the renewable energy legislation that the government has put forward, consistent with its target of achieving 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply from renewable sources, has passed this House. But I can also inform the House that it has been the subject of successful negotiations with representatives of the opposition, and that of course is a welcome development which is respected by the government. My colleague Senator Wong, the minister for climate change, will be outlining the details of the agreement between the government and the opposition in relation to the renewable energy legislation very shortly.

This has been achieved not without some wobbles from the other side of politics, and there have been a number of things over the last couple of days which have been of some interest, and which I think just give us some further insight into the challenges that lie ahead to successfully prosecuting the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme through the parliament. Even the Leader of the Opposition was reported yesterday in the Sydney Morning Herald by the journalist Mr Phillip Coorey as having told the Ai Group forum that there was:

… nothing wrong with being a climate change sceptic.

That is reaching out there a fair way to try to establish some unity on the opposition side of politics, but it will be extremely important, as we move forward in tackling climate change, that we can successfully prosecute discussions about the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme as well.

If it is difficult to get unity on the opposition side of politics over the renewable energy legislation, it is certainly not going to be an easy issue with the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. But, nonetheless, leadership in politics is about tackling those difficult issues, because, as I indicated to the House yesterday, the establishment of a carbon price in our economy is the critical measure that is going to be needed if we are going to move to a lower pollution future and reduce our emissions, and this is what will drive investment towards low-emission energy sources. It is incumbent upon the opposition to achieve a unified policy position in relation to emissions trading. In the same way as has been proven possible on the renewable energy legislation, it is important that the opposition can reach a policy position on the carbon pollution reduction scheme legislation and come forward in a more constructive manner than we have seen to date on such important reform with specific amendments to the legislation that reflect the concerns on that side of politics. If the opposition—

Alby Schultz (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The serve you got today hurt, did it?

Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is extremely important for public policy making in this country. If the opposition has concerns about the carbon pollution reduction scheme legislation, it will not be good enough to be producing consultants reports that do not form policy. What is necessary, if there is a concern about emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries, is to come forward with specific policy proposals and amendments that have the support of the coalition party room. If there are concerns about the treatment of agriculture, come forward with specific amendments dealing with agriculture. If there are concerns about electricity generators, come forward with specific amendments that deal with the issues. And the same goes for any other area of policy that has been raised by the opposition side of politics on these issues—coalmine fugitive emissions or the like. It is an important development that we are able to prosecute the renewable energy legislation, but the hard yards lie ahead. The prosecution of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is fundamentally important for the environmental and economic future of this country. Take responsibility. Unify around it. Show leadership. Deliver an outcome. And come forward to the government with your concerns.