Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I am trying, Mr President. But there are a great many interjections from that side and I can understand why because on this issue it is somewhat embarrassing the extent of the division on that side, including by Senator Humphries. I am surprised that Senator Humphries is even asking this question. I thought he was one of the few on that side who actually thought climate change was real. The government has been very clear in its approach to action on climate change: that a carbon price is the cheapest, fairest way to ensure we reduce the carbon pollution that is causing climate change or contributing to climate change and also to drive investment in a clean energy future. It is the case that we have said the carbon price will be paid by less than a thousand of the largest polluters for every tonne of pollution they emit and that we will take every cent taken from the big polluters to provide generous household assistance, to help with family budgets, to protect jobs as businesses make the transition to a clean energy economy, and to tackle climate change including by investing in new and clean technology.