Senate debates
Monday, 30 November 2009
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Customs) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — Excise) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (Charges — General) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS Fuel Credits) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) Bill 2009 [No. 2]; Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Amendment (Household Assistance) Bill 2009 [No. 2]
In Committee
8:20 pm
Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source
Thank you, Temporary Chairman, I think it adds to the convenience of all senators if one senator has a bracket of questions that they can deal with them and move on. Of course I accept that you are in the chair. Can I then ask if it is a matter of no consequence what made the Australian government change the parameter of the population growth from 33 million to 35 million in just 12 months? How can we be sure that that figure is going to be reliable and that in 12 months time the minister will not be back in this place saying ‘Oopsy, it’s now going to be 37 million or 39 million.’ This throws out all the figures, all the calculations and all the bases on which this ETS has been modelled and presented to the Australian people. I would be very interested if the minister could advise us as to the reason for that.
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