Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is directed to Senator Minchin in his capacity representing the Prime Minister. Can the minister confirm that some of Australia’s largest coal producers, like BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, have expressed support for an Australian carbon trading scheme? Is the minister aware that Rio Tinto submitted to the task group on emissions trading: ‘The view that nothing should be done until every nation is ready to take action is unrealistic’? Haven’t Australia’s coal-producing companies acknowledged that failing to address climate change will hurt the economy, their industry and their employees? Minister, isn’t our clever politician Prime Minister Howard just desperately employing yet another scare campaign, this time on coal jobs? Don’t Australian coal communities deserve leadership rather than the Prime Minister playing politics with their futures?