Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Boswell for the question. I am not familiar with the remarks of the New South Wales minister that he refers to. What I can say is that the government’s proposals in regard to this important initiative mean that we as a country are for the first time actually able to prepare ourselves for the inevitability of climate change and to do so in a manner which will actually preserve jobs, provide opportunities for Australians and mean that we are able to meet the challenges that we are confronting head-on.

Inevitably, there will be cost increases as a result of these changes. But there have equally been measures taken by this government to consult widely, as we have heard from Senator Wong, to ensure that there is a proper consideration of these matters in a timely manner without pretending that we can give some sort of renaissance to the climate change sceptics in a manner which seeks to avoid the inevitability of these issues. What we are dealing with here is a matter of profound importance to this country, to this society and, of course, to this economy. Members of the opposition are unable to meet their responsibilities to the Australian people by fronting up squarely to the energy needs of this country or by dealing with the questions of climate change.

This government has moved rapidly to implement a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme from 2010. We will do so on a responsible basis to ensure that the industrial capacity of this country is protected and in such a manner as preserves jobs and ensures that living standards are maintained. The key to the prosperity of this country is ensuring that new investment takes place. We simply cannot pretend that these are problems which will go away and that do not require urgent action by the whole community.