Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given that the city of Geelong produces 98,000 tonnes of emissions and faces a carbon tax bill in excess of $2 million, what assurances has the Prime Minister given to the member for Corangamite that his constituents will not be paying higher council rates as a result of the world's biggest carbon tax, which already threatens 600 jobs at Alcoa in his electorate?

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member for McEwen will remove himself from the chamber under the provisions of standing order 94(a). When the House is entirely silent, the Prime Minister will commence her answer.

The member for McEwen then left the chamber.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In answer to the member's question, first and foremost he has just insulted every worker at Alcoa by coming into this parliament and pretending that the pressure on Alcoa is about the carbon price, when he and other members of this House well know that the circumstances putting pressure on Alcoa are about international pricing. That has been made by clear by the business. It is a direct insult to those working people to use them as political playthings and to think it appropriate to come into this parliament and misrepresent the circumstances impacting upon their jobs. What an insult to those working people. What a disgrace.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We look after working people because that is what drives us. Over there, they are highly motivated—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will pause. The Prime Minister will be heard in silence for the balance of her answer.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will look after working people. Over there, they are motivated by vested interests. What we will do is work with the community of Geelong. In asking this question, the member fundamentally misunderstands the outlook of the council there, many leading lights in the business community there and many leading lights from the football club there and from other organisations that are so important to the spirit and the cement that binds people together in Geelong. They are taking a very proactive approach to managing their city and their region to a clean energy future. They in fact did not wait for government to legislate a carbon price. They got started. They brought people together to work out how they could seize the benefits of a clean energy future, something that the member for Corangamite and the member for Corio both know well. They have been involved in the discussions about that.

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is exactly why you don't need a carbon tax.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Indi will remove herself from the chamber under the provisions of standing order 94(a).

The member for Indi then left the chamber.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In this parliament, they are once again insulting the people of Geelong. We will not insult the people of Geelong and that region by misrepresenting what is happening with their jobs. We will not insult them by misrepresenting their ability to respond to change. We will not insult them. Those in that region know what it is like to respond to change and come up trumps. We will provide benefits to working people in Geelong through tax cuts and family payment increases. We will provide the pensioners of Geelong with pension increases. What the member who asked the question would prefer to do is to take all of those increases and tax cuts back and then send a bill for $1,300 to every family in Geelong and then not tell them the truth about what is happening with their jobs. What a disgrace; what an insult.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Honourable members will be aware that I said that the Prime Minister was to be heard in silence for the balance of her answer. I could pick three or four out on either side. I will not on this occasion. But please take notice that if my request is ignored in future the House might well be half empty.