Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. How will the government's climate legislation help to put the climate wars behind us after a decade of climate denial and inaction?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Canberra for her question. On 21 May the Australian people voted for change. They voted to end the division. They voted to end the inaction and finally put the climate wars behind us. They backed our Powering Australia plan. They gave us a mandate for the 43 per cent target. And today we'll deliver on the first step of enshrining this target in law, giving our country the certainty that we need to shape the future.

On the first day that I became Labor leader I said that Australians had conflict fatigue, and on climate, rather than rally the same troops to dig a deeper trench in the same spot, I wanted us to find new allies, and new allies we have found. This is what Jennifer Westacott, the CEO of the Business Council of Australia, has said—that this legislation has 'brought Australia a step closer to ending the climate wars that have put a handbrake on progress and become a serious economic barrier.' She said:

"We welcome this legislation and the adoption of key elements of the Business Council's plan to reach net zero emissions …

"43 per cent is a sensible, achievable target which can be delivered alongside new industries and better jobs with coordinated action …

We thank the government for working with business to deliver a workable plan, reduce emissions and strengthen Australia's economic future."

Remember when the Liberal Party used to have a relationship with business? Remember that? But what we saw today was them isolated and alone, stuck in the same old trench fighting a fight that has passed them by. They were by themselves with their arms crossed, saying, 'No, no, no.' They are the coalition of yesterday and the no-alition of today, saying no to absolutely everything.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, under the rulings you've made, it is not in order for the Prime Minister to engage in an unstructured sledging of this side of the House, which is what he's doing.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Resume your seat. The Prime Minister is addressing the question. He's in order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If he's offended by that, he should see what the business community are saying about them in private. He should have a chat to the National Farmers Federation, or the Australian Industry Group about manufacturing, or the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or the Business Council of Australia about how irrelevant they have become.

I haven't always been close on all issues to those on the crossbenches, but, I tell you what, they were prepared to engage constructively and at least behave with a bit more maturity than those who jokingly call themselves the alternative— (Time expired)