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

I will take Senator Boswell’s interjection. It appears he is lecturing the Labor Party about the workers. It is a pity he did not remember that when he voted for Work Choices in this chamber. The fact is this is about the jobs of the future, Senator Boswell, as well as protecting today’s jobs. Unlike you, we will not shy away from the task of building tomorrow’s jobs whilst we protect the jobs of today. In relation to the question, there have been some welcome developments in recent times. I particularly welcome the comments of both President Obama and his US climate envoy, Mr Todd Stern, in recent weeks which did a number of things: first, reinforcing the US administration’s commitment to a strong international agreement at Copenhagen and also to a broadbased cap and trade emissions trading program. We are pleased that the new administration is showing leadership on this issue. We have always said since we have come to government that critical to any international agreement will be the United States as well as China. (Time expired)