Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Is the minister aware that the Prime Minister’s discussion paper on carbon emissions trading states that it is unlikely that a global scheme will emerge in the near future? Doesn’t the paper also indicate that any international scheme might evolve from national or regional trading schemes? Isn’t that why the paper explicitly canvasses the possibility of Australia introducing a national carbon trading scheme and its potential to provide a more cost-effective framework for implementing climate change measures? Can the minister also explain why the task force is going through the motions of consulting on the establishment of a national trading scheme when the Minister for Finance and Administration only yesterday reiterated that the government will not be introducing such a scheme?