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

(South Australia—) (): I am asked about Mr Warburton's views in relation to carbon pricing. Probably the best thing I can do is simply point the senator to past public comments by Mr Warburton. I do not propose to speak for Mr Warburton. On 21 October 2009, he wrote an opinion piece for the Australian Financial Review in which he did discuss various aspects of policy and indicate at that point arguments in support of a carbon tax. In that opinion piece he said:

I endorse the government and opposition path that, in light of the unsettled science, we cannot afford to do nothing. However, I believe the opposition could change direction to the equally effective carbon tax route.

Obviously, it is for Mr Warburton to express his own view as to whether he has moved away from that position and for what reasons. I would note that Mr Warburton did engage in some work for me when I was climate change minister. Some of the design of the Jobs and Competitiveness Program, which is included in the clean energy package, was a result of the advice of the Warburton committee. We have picked that up. That was part of the CPRS and has been retained in the context of the clean energy package. But, more broadly, I do not feel particularly comfortable giving a view about Mr Warburton's change of position. I suspect that is properly a matter for him to engage in.