Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Can the minister guarantee that no businesses will close and no jobs will be lost as a result of Labor's changes to the safeguard mechanism?

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question and welcome him back to Australia after his highly successful tour of nuclear success stories that he conducted just last week! I'll tell you what I will guarantee. I guarantee that the safeguard mechanism reforms that we are putting in place will put Australian industries in the best possible position to make the most of the decarbonisation that's occurring around the world. I guarantee this: the reforms that we put in place, for which I have always given due credit to the member for Hume, like I do, as a post-partisan figure—I always give due credit to the member for Hume for the safeguard credits which he said would provide business with the opportunity for the lowest-cost abatement. I guarantee that it will provide that basis for the lowest-cost abatement. That's what I guarantee. I guarantee that the support of the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry reflects the views of industry. So, finally, after 10 years of denial and delay, we have a government with one energy policy, one climate change policy, which we are implementing—

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

The minister will just cease for a moment. Resume your seat. I couldn't hear a lot, but I'll hear from the member for Fairfax.

Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, he did not answer the question—

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

The minister has concluded. Resume your seat. The minister has concluded his answer.

Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Answer the question!

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

Order!

Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're too scared to answer the question!

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

The member for Fairfax will cease interjecting immediately. If he interjects one more time, he won't be here.