John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Oh, so that is why. You would appreciate that I do not often quote Mr Rupert Murdoch in the Senate, but—and it is important to remember this—he said that 'climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats' to our society. That is what Mr Murdoch said. And guess what? He was dead right about that.

I also know that this is an issue that brings into question, and has for a long time in this debate—certainly since I was Australia's environment minister many years ago—the relationship between expert advice and good governance and the relationship, if you like, between science and government policy. Sometimes politicians are criticised for depending on the views of experts and of scientists. Well, there are not a great number of climatologists, as far as I am aware, in the Australian Senate—in fact, I do not think that any of us in this chamber are climatologists. I for one listen carefully to the views of experts in the field, respect the views of experts in the field and am not ashamed to say so in a debate like this. I say that, faced with the overwhelming evidence for climate change, we must act.

Climate change is a generational challenge that requires a once in a generation response. It requires us to look beyond the near horizon of our immediate interests to the next generation and their future and to the future of generations after them. In politics, I have often argued that our goal should always be—using the words of Ben Chifley—to bring something better to the people. And that is what this legislation does. This legislation ensures that our environmental health and economic prosperity will be better for the people of Australia now and better for future generations. That is why I so strongly support this package of legislation before the Senate tonight.

Debate interrupted.