Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think the slippery slope, Senator Birmingham, is the plebiscite; that is the slippery slope. We all know that the plebiscite is a mindless political stunt. I am going to do something I do not normally do. I am going to quote two sources that I normally do not quote. I am going to quote the Vatican and I am going to quote Paul Kelly in the Australian. Those who are on the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee with me will know that I have found a very important and serious document by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The Pontifical Academy of Sciences is made up of some of the most eminent scientists from around the world and advises the Pope on climate change. The report by a working group commissioned by the academy starts off by saying:

We call on all people and nations to recognise the serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming caused by the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants …

The report then goes on to outline why serious governments, why serious politic­ians, around the world are dealing with this issue in a serious way. They outline in this document the glacier melting that is taking place around the world, why that is being caused by humans and how we should deal with this. I recommend to all of those in the opposition who every Sunday are in chapel, practising their faith, that they look at what the Pontifical Academy of Sciences is saying. I think it is a very important message to everyone in this place about the import­ance of dealing with global warming—because what we should understand is that this Carbon Tax Plebiscite Bill 2011 [No. 2] is not about plebiscites; it is a short-term political ploy. That is all it is.