Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister update the House on the savings delivered to households and businesses in Western Australia from the repeal of the carbon tax, and are there any threats to these savings?

Mr Marles interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Corio will cease interjecting.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Hasluck, who is a great local environmental champion and, of course, has produced the Green Map for Hasluck and is working with young people and the local Green Army. I have been with him and seen local Green Army projects and the jobs that are being provided. His approach was to ensure that we do practical things for the environment but that we get rid of an unnecessary tax which was not working, which was having an impact on the cost of living for families and which was driving up the price of electricity without in any significant way doing the job and reducing emissions. I thank him for that work both locally and in this parliament. And do you know what? He asks about the savings from the repeal of the carbon tax. The ACCC recently confirmed that the very analysis which Treasury did before the repeal of the carbon tax has been borne out by reality. That is what this debate is about. It is not about whether we reduce emissions but it is about how we do it and how we do it effectively. What we inherited from this mob on the other side—pink batts—

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham is warned.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there one person on the other side who is proud of the pink batts program—one brave soul? Come on, Swanny—are you proud? What about 'cash for clunkers'? What about green loans? Let me make it easy: is there one person on that side who wants to bring the carbon tax back?

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The level of interjections is far too high. The minister will confine himself to his answer and not to asking questions.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not one brave soul amongst them is willing to stand up for their own carbon tax. Let me say this: we made real savings to households in Canning, throughout Perth and throughout rural Western Australia. The ACCC has confirmed that, on average, households received $550 in savings. When they come back—if they ever come back into this place—they will want to hit households with another $550 tax. We were also asked before about their renewables. Do you know what? The member for Hunter said, 'It is not a policy; it is an aspiration.' When asked how much it would cost, he said, 'No-one knows, and that is the truth of it.' It was not quite true, because the Department of the Environment—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler will cease interjecting.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

estimated that it is an $85 billion cost. By contrast, this is about actually doing things. We are not doing pink batts or green loans or 'cash for clunkers'. We have reduced emissions by 47 million tonnes. We have done it without a carbon tax and we have done it in a way which reduces costs and which does not hit, in Canning, businesses such as Alcoa. We see the Willowdale and Huntly bauxite mines and the Alinta cogeneration plant. All up, Western Australians were hit for $2 billion under the carbon tax. It has gone under us. It is coming back— (Time expired)

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McEwen is warned.