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

The government does not accept the way in which the senator has constructed this argument. It is the case that we have provided some exemptions to industries under the renewable energy target and that is in recognition of the likelihood of higher electricity prices. The government have made it clear that that is the rationale for these exemptions. As the senator knows, we have not provided 100 per cent. We have provided assistance on the same basis as is provided under the CPRS. It is very simply this: aluminium and other sectors will bear potentially higher costs and we believe it is our responsibility to support jobs through this transition—jobs in existing industries—whilst driving the investment in the clean technologies of the future. It is a transition. We are not simply going to avoid or duck the issue of supporting current—(Time expired)