Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. What the government does recognise is that there needs to be a price on carbon to provide the necessary incentive to see a transformation of this economy so that we can deal properly with the challenges facing this country in the 21st century. We have to be concerned to ensure that industry is able to adapt to those challenges. As a consequence, we have announced a policy framework, with a start-up date of next year, for a new carbon price which will in turn lead to the development of an ETS in this country.

To ensure that there is proper consultation with business, a business roundtable has been established to ensure the business community is able to engage directly with government on those matters. Further advice is being sought through a council on carbon-intensive trade-exposed industries, which is meeting again this Thursday. So there is a process under way to allow for proper consultation and the details of the program will be announced when that consultation has been concluded. If you are in the business of consultation, you cannot proceed by making ultimatums. That may well be the Liberal Party policy; it is not the Labor Party policy. Our intention is to ensure there is a proper process of engagement with industry and with the community and that is exactly what we are doing.

The announcement on 23 February outlined a high-level architecture for the framework within which the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee could start that process of discussion. Legislation has been introduced to this parliament and there is an opportunity for detailed discussions to take place and establish a starting price for carbon and the assistance arrangements for households and industry. (Time expired)