Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President. It is about relevance, but I do appreciate your comments. As I was saying before I was interrupted, it is simply extraordinary that the Treasurer of Australia hopes that the Australian economy falters so as to boost the electoral prospects of the coalition and his own leadership campaign against the Prime Minister and the PM-in-waiting, the member for Wentworth. It is only too obvious that the Treasurer is more interested in his own ambitions than in the health of the Australian economy and the wellbeing of Australian families. I would suggest that he has his eye on the Prime Minister’s job and not on the best interests of the Australian economy.

Another reason this government may not want too many of what they consider the wrong sort of people voting at the upcoming election is the burning issue of climate change. The Prime Minister and his government have been dragged kicking and screaming to the realisation that a large majority of the Australian public is deeply concerned with the issue of climate change, and this terrible drought is linked to the issue in their minds, even if the Prime Minister cannot bring himself to link the two.

We on this side, though, are deeply engaged with the issue. On the weekend, the Leader of the Opposition released Labor’s national clean coal initiative to reduce greenhouse and, importantly, to secure jobs in the coal industry. As we know, coal is an important part of our economy and Australia is the world’s largest coal exporter. The initiatives include setting up a national clean coal initiative to place Australia’s coal industry and exports on a sure international footing, and establishing a national clean coal fund, working in partnership with the private sector. Federal Labor will also increase funding for the CSIRO by no less than $25 million over four years. This will strengthen its leadership role in the research and development of clean coal technologies. This is about ensuring that we have a strong and long-term coal industry and working in partnership with state governments and the coal sector.

Labor’s national clean coal initiative is an important element in Labor’s comprehensive approach to dealing with the threats and opportunities of climate change. This approach includes immediately ratifying the Kyoto protocol; cutting Australia’s greenhouse pollution by no less than 60 per cent by 2050; setting up a national emission trading scheme; substantially increasing the mandatory renewable energy target; and convening a national climate change summit in Canberra in late March or early April 2007, which if I remember rightly, I am sure the Prime Minister was invited to attend by Mr Rudd.

Federal Labor will be making further announcements on energy renewables and other energy sources in the coming months. We will also be seeking further input from the business and science communities on this very important initiative. This is what Labor will do, and it is no wonder voters are attracted to such policies and initiatives. It is also no wonder that this government is intent on taking the franchise away from people who might be attracted to Labor policies like these, because where is the Howard government on issues like climate change? Behind the play, that is where they are.

Only today we have observations like this one again from Mr Glenn Milne, writing in the Australian newspaper, at page 8. He says that the Business Council of Australia, under Michael Chaney’s leadership:

... was way out in front of the Government on the climate change issue. Howard is still catching up.

No wonder the government is worried, and no wonder they are worried about people who they consider to be the wrong people having a vote come election time. That is because this is a government that, after 11 long years, is becoming increasingly tired, out of puff and out of touch. This is a government whose senior members, no less, are increasingly concerned about their own futures, rather than the future they can help to provide for the people of Australia.

In summing up, this is a government that, despite the Prime Minister’s power walks, is really running out of steam. It is little wonder that, despite the minor positive measures contained in this bill, this government gives every appearance of doing everything it can to make it as hard as possible for people who it considers will vote against it to vote at all.