Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that her carbon tax will rise in less than two weeks to $24.15 per tonne? Why is Australia's carbon tax going up and up while New Zealand's carbon tax is going down and down to an equivalent of just 75c a tonne today?

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! If you are interested in the answer, we require some silence. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Thank you very much, Speaker. I must thank the Leader of the National Party for his question because it enables me to restate what I said yesterday which is, of course, we want to reduce the amount of carbon pollution in our atmosphere. As I understand it, it is still bipartisan politics to see a five per cent reduction in carbon pollution. So we want to do it in the cheapest possible way. I know that the Leader of the National Party stands behind the Leader of the Opposition for doing it in a more expensive way. He wants the nation to pay more, he wants families to pay more, he wants businesses to pay more.

Now already in question time today we have had the Leader of the Opposition refer to Cameron Clyne, the CEO of the National Australia Bank, and his words on the economy. Well, let me also refer to the words of Cameron Clyne directly on this debate. I suggest that the Leader of the National Party take these words to heart and reflect on his silly question and, more importantly, the ridiculous policy of the opposition on carbon pricing. Mr Clyne says:

If you are asking for an economic assessment of the two the carbon price followed by an ETS is economically superior to the direct action policy.

It will drive certainty, it will drive investment and so as a straight comparison between the two that's the choice.

So having introduced Cameron Clyne as an economic expert into this conversation in question time today, I suggest the Leader of the Opposition—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Manager of Opposition Business has already been warned.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, on a point of order: the Prime Minister was asked to explain why New Zealand's carbon tax is at 75c a tonne and ours is going up to $24.15 a tonne. She made no effort to answer that question.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Government Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I was asked about carbon pricing and I am answering. Let me refer again to the words of Cameron Clyne:

It will drive certainty, it will drive investment and so as a straight comparison between the two that's the choice.

What that means is that the Leader of the Opposition stands for less certainty, less investment. He used the word 'gloom' today and gloom is right for his policies, absolutely.