Senate debates
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Bills
Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013, Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013; Second Reading
12:34 pm
John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source
I rise to make my contribution to this debate on the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 and related bills. Senator Rhiannon just referred to courage. Why didn't your alliance partners, before the 2010 election, have the courage to say that if they won the election they would introduce a carbon tax, instead of saying, 'We will not introduce a carbon tax'? The Australian people were quite clear, when they voted on 7 September last year, that if the coalition were elected to government the carbon tax would be removed.
Let me make a few points. I find it amazing that a debate that started in the final sitting weeks of 2013 could still be going on here today in 2014, well into March. But the government has been prepared to let Labor and the Greens continue filibustering to delay the inevitable. I have heard some amazing contributions over these weeks, but I would like to quote a section of Senator Ludlam's speech. This is quite amazing. He said:
People like Jon Moylan and others are stepping up to stop the Maules Creek coalmine and protect the Leard State Forest in New South Wales.
I have a question: is this the same Jon Moylan who is facing criminal charges over the fake ANZ bank press release? Is it the same Jon Moylan whose actions temporarily wiped $300 million off Whitehaven's market capitalisation?
Well, Mr Jon Moylan will soon have his day in court. ASIC, to its credit—and I have thrown plenty of criticism at ASIC before today—has brought one charge under the Corporations Act, to which Mr Moylan has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is set down for 20 June. ASIC quite rightly points out that a hoax could have significant market impact, but the fact that mum and dad investors could have lost money does not faze Senator Ludlam—or of course the Greens as a whole. So here is Senator Ludlam giving Mr Moylan a pat on the back—and even Senator Rhiannon tweeted her congratulations at the time. It proves again that, when you are engaged in civil disobedience, the Greens will be there cheering you on.
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