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

What I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by the knuckle-draggers on the other side of this chamber is that you would have thought that after four centuries the whole question of the Enlightenment would have seen the light from science penetrate every part of the body politic of this country. But what we find in this building, in this opposition, is that there are some very dimly-lit corners today. There are those on the other side of the chamber who would be only too happy to drag us back to the Dark Ages. What we have is a government on this side that is committed to ensuring that we stand for reason, we stand for scientific method and we stand for the maximum discovery in science. What we see on the other side of the chamber is an opposition that runs from the facts, that peddles in fear and seeks to, wherever it can, rely upon innuendo and undermine the importance of scientific method in this country. We must recommit, in this country, to ensure that when the cameras stop rolling we still argue the case for the importance of science. We make no apology for the search for truth when it comes to the issues of scientific discovery. (Time expired)

Honourable senators interjecting—