Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. I refer the minister to her statement at an Australian Industry Group lunch in February 2008 in which she said:

The introduction of a carbon price ahead of effective international action can lead to perverse incentives for such industries to relocate all source production offshore. There is no point in imposing a carbon price domestically which results in emissions and production transferring internationally for no environmental gain.

I also refer to research showing that China’s Copenhagen offer will see its carbon dioxide emissions rise by 496 per cent by 2020, on 1990 levels. Given China is responsible for 23 per cent of global emissions, does the government agree with this estimate? If not, does the government have any estimate of its own?