Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Unless those opposite have been living under rocks without radios, televisions, newspapers or internet access, then they should know that Labor advocated long and hard for a carbon pricing regime between 2007 and 2010. Everyone in this chamber is aware of that. And it is what we spoke to the Australian community about during the 2010 election. We have always been upfront that the best way to do this is through a price on carbon.

A carbon price is a price on pollution. The best way to stop businesses polluting and to get them to invest in clean energy is to charge them when they pollute. The businesses with the highest levels of pollution will have a very strong incentive to reduce their pollution. Make no mistake: those opposite do themselves and the Australian people no justice by running a scaremongering campaign.

This government is very conscious of the cost-of-living pressures facing Australian families. That is why we have already reduced the tax burden on families, we abolished Work Choices, we increased the pension, we increased the childcare rebate and we introduced the education tax refund. That is why we are delivering an increase of $4,000 in family tax benefit part A, extending the education tax refund to uniforms and providing the option for families to receive childcare rebate payments fortnightly. All of these initiatives are fully costed and fully funded. We also understand that central to dealing with the cost-of-living pressures on working Australians is the government’s plan for a stronger economy, because a stronger economy means more jobs and better wages. (Time expired)