Mary Fisher (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As if, Senator Farrell—as if! This time around, the day before the election, we were told unequivocally—as no doubt others have said—by the now Prime Minister, Prime Minister Gillard: ‘I rule out a carbon tax.’ It was front-page news. The Treasurer said to Meet The Press on 15 August 2010:

What we rejected is this hysterical allegation that somehow we are moving towards a carbon tax.

More broken promises—as we are coming to expect from the Gillard Labor government.

The Prime Minister has also announced a committee to investigate, assess and hear from experts about a carbon tax, says Senator Furner. No, no, no, Senator Furner; no, no, no, Labor government. This Labor government is proposing to set up a committee for which there are two prerequisites for joining. Firstly, you can only be on the thing if you believe in a carbon price. Secondly, you can only be on the committee and do the work if you are going to agree on the outcome—that is, that there should be a carbon price. That was made clear in the Prime Minister’s letter of invitation to the committee, which said that parliamentary representatives:

… who acknowledge that … reducing carbon pollution by 2020 will require a carbon price—

will be invited to join the committee.