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

I move:

That on the introduction of any of the following bills into the House of Representatives or any other bill that forms part of the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, provisions of these bills be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 June 2009, including, but not limited to the following:

(a)

Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009;

(b)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009;

(c)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges – Customs) Bill 2009;

(d)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges – Excise) Bill 2009;

(e)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges – General) Bill 2009;

(f)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009;

(g)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) Bill 2009;

(h)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009;

(i)

Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009;

(j)

Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009; and

(k)

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Household Assistance) Bill 2009.

This is a motion to refer to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee the bills which comprise the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme in its entirety—with the one exception of the forestry components, which will commence slightly later.

The subject matter of the bills that are proposed to be referred has been a matter of consideration and inquiry for a long period of time. I want to take the Senate through this so that we can be clear about what is occurring. In February last year the government set out its approach, consistent with our election commitment, to introduce a trading scheme—the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. The release of the green paper made very clear what the government’s timetable was. We had an extensive process of consideration of the green paper, which led to the decisions in December and the publication of the white paper. It is these bills which give effect to the white paper. So that is one set of processes. And I would remind senators that the green paper garnered over 1,000—I think 1,026—submissions and the CPRS draft legislation received a further 160 non-campaign submissions as well as 11,000 general responses.

In addition to the green paper and white paper consultation processes, the government also commissioned the Garnaut review. That review went through last year. It received almost 4,000 submissions and held information sessions all around the country to gain feedback—and I will come to that. Prior to that there was quite a lot of discussion by previous governments and the state and territory governments through their state and territory task forces on the design of a trading scheme.

So this has been a heavily scrutinised and considered reform that has had extensive community engagement. Just under this government there have been a green paper process—1,000 submissions; the Garnaut review—4,000 submissions; and a white paper process. In addition, the government referred the exposure draft of these bills to the Senate Standing Committee on Economics, which has reported. The bills which have been introduced into the other place by my colleague Mr Combet today largely reflect the content of the exposure draft but obviously there are some changes. Hence, we think it is appropriate that this go to the appropriate committee, which is the Senate economics committee, which previously dealt with the exposure draft legislation.

So if there is any suggestion that there has been insufficient scrutiny, I would say to the chamber that this has actually been one of the most scrutinised reforms, just under this term of government, that this parliament has seen. There have been extensive government processes, extensive parliamentary processes and extensive community processes which have enabled the community to engage very closely with the model that the government was putting forward. I would also make the point that, in addition to those processes, the parliament has taken a very great interest in climate policy. In fact, in the 12 months to date we believe there have been some 13 inquiries before the parliament to deal with climate change matters. Hearings relating to these inquiries have been held all over the country. We calculate that there were approximately 787 appearances before these committees. So let us be clear. Just under this government there have been a green paper process—over 1,000 submissions; the Garnaut review—4,000 submissions; public hearings held by the Garnaut review all over the country; and Senate committee processes plus 13 committee inquiries into climate change.

This is an overdue reform. It is time for action. There are those who want to delay consideration of this scheme—not because they want a better process, not because they are focused on a better outcome, but because they simply do not believe climate change is real and they simply do not want to have to make a decision to vote for or against this bill. That is the question.