Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

Implicit in that question seems to be a misunderstanding of the nature of a cap and trade system, which I understand your party supports. The reality is that if we reduce our energy use and become more energy efficient that does a number of things. First, in the context of higher energy prices, it enables Australian families to reduce their energy costs, and I would hope that would be something that all senators would support. Second, it would enable governments to go for more ambitious targets—that is the reality. The difference between the Greens and the government is that we consider the target range of five to 15 to be an ambitious target. Fifteen per cent is a 41 per cent reduction in the carbon footprint of every man, woman and child in this country between 1990 and 2020. (Time expired)