Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today in the context of the carbon tax debate that is going on in the parliament. Over the last few weeks I have spent some time with the Birchip Cropping Group and the Victorian No-Till Farmers Association. Those organisations have reduced fossil fuel usage, increased soil carbon, increased water-use efficiency, reduced erosion, increased productivity, increased exports and increased profitability. I also spent some time with Integrated Recycling in Mildura. They take industrial plastics from agricultural production and make railway sleepers, fence posts, park benches and decking.

We make the carbon debate too complicated. Let's break it down: it is air pollution, it is increased recycling and it is changing practice. And when I spend some time with these very innovative people in my electorate they say that you cannot tax innovation. It is innovation, not taxation, that has led the way for the people in the Wimmera-Mallee-Mildura region to address the challenges of being responsible global citizens. They support getting rid of the carbon tax and they support taking the reins off and letting people participate in the great practices that they are demonstrating in my electorate. I commend them for the good work that they are doing to be good, responsible global citizens.