Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute to the debate on the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 and related bills. So here we are again. This government is so committed to unwinding Labor's hard fought action to combat climate change that it has made repealing the carbon pricing legislation its No. 1 priority. And it is not seeking to replace a fixed price on carbon with a floating price or any other sort of intelligently designed scheme; no, unlike Labor, the coalition instead wants to throw good money after bad with an inefficient and expensive Direct Action scheme.

Late last year I spoke about how, as opposition leader, Tony Abbott consistently stunned observers with his ignorant comments concerning climate change policy. The most notable example occurred almost a year ago when he told open-mouthed reporters in Sydney that 'carbon pricing policy generally was not a true market'. In fact, he went a step further and clarified his statement as follows:

It's a market, a so-called market, in the non-delivery of an invisible substance to no one.

The stupidity of this comment is breathtaking and a little sad. Our Prime Minister is like the kid in class who not only does not understand what is being taught but feels compelled to convey his ignorance to everyone around him to get attention. I really wish that, instead of trying to grapple with the fundamentals of climate change policy, he would just sit in the corner and eat Play-Doh and leave this to others—because every time he speaks on climate change everyone in the room listening becomes a little bit dumber. But, of course, as Prime Minister he has been even worse; I think we all knew that this was going to happen and this would be the case. As we saw when he was overseas, week after week this government has taken backward steps on climate change and made our great nation a laughing stock on the world stage.

Until recently Australia was a country at the absolute forefront of innovation to combat climate change and we were earning worldwide recognition for our commitment. Now, under this government, we were the recipient of five 'fossil awards' at the climate change talks in Warsaw. A fossil award is handed out to those countries that have basically neglected their duty to combat climate change. We did not even bother sending a minister to these talks in Warsaw despite the fact that prominent leaders from around the globe attended and were ready to work together. On the very first day of the talks we won a fossil award because we had done the most to block progress at the climate change negotiations on that day. It was hardly a flying start—and it got worse. We won another fossil award for seeking to do what the government now looks set to achieve—repeal the carbon price. Countries around the world are looking to price carbon, either through a fixed or floating price, including provinces and states in China and the United States. And then there is Australia repealing progress that was hard fought and vital to the future of the globe. Oh, did I mention that the government won another fossil award for stripping $435 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Fund? It also did not go unnoticed that we dismantled our climate change department, abolished the Climate Change Authority and basically refused to sign up to new finance commitments in Warsaw that were gaining traction with many other powerful countries. We did not impress anyone.

This is how we are being seen now. Previously, countries around the world saw us as a nation committed to action, to progress, to combating climate change intelligently. We were world leaders, we were achieving things and powerful leaders and organisations were taking notice of us. But look at us now! It really is something that those opposite should be ashamed of. My home state of Tasmania was benefitting. Tasmania has an economy that needs all the assistance it can get. But what has this government done? It has taken away those opportunities. It is the equivalent of Daniel Day-Lewis turning around and winning five Razzies this year during Oscar week!

Our change in attitude and action is something that has stunned the international community. The world is watching us and we have failed; we are failing spectacularly. What is worse is that this Prime Minister of ours is not just content to neglect climate change policy at home. Oh no, he wants others to join him. He has even tried his best to start his own 'super friend' group dedicated to inaction on climate change. Several weeks ago our Prime Minister—with a completely straight face—floated the ridiculous idea of a group of leaders mobilising against global moves to increase action on climate change. What a noble pursuit! He himself, without any real consultation or rational thought, nominated Canada, the UK and New Zealand as leaders of the group. But they actually laughed him out of the room; not even his supposed Centre Right buddies stuck up for him!

In fact, our friend across the Tasman, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, went as far as to say: 'This government takes climate change seriously. That is why we're actively involved in international climate change efforts.' It got worse for him. When Tony Abbott declared that climate change was not the most important issue facing the world at the moment, his own political allies and other world leaders contradicted him. Advisers in the PM's office must have been wondering what they had got themselves into when they signed up to work for this government!

Let me be clear: Tony Abbott is rightly isolated in his intransigence on taking action to address climate change. This country needs carbon pricing to effectively combat climate change; it is as simple as that. Labor's policy of instituting an emissions trading scheme makes sense and is in keeping with global efforts. As I have said before, and as many of my colleagues have said before in this chamber, a floating price on carbon, such as an emissions trading scheme, holds several distinct advantages. It fundamentally alters how businesses consume energy. It uses the competitive forces of the marketplace itself to make Australia less reliant on carbon emissions. This is not necessarily because private enterprises have undergone an ideological transformation about what impact they are having on the planet. Rather, the pure calculus of how to meet their energy needs has been superficially adjusted in favour of renewable energy because pricing carbon is designed to achieve a transition from a reliance on carbon emissions to greater use of newer, cleaner technologies.

When it comes to our role as a responsible international citizen, Australia faces many choices. We can act as a dynamic and progressive middle power taking the lead on global environmental challenges and working cooperatively with others to achieve real change. We can participate enthusiastically and dependably at forums such as the one in Warsaw last year. We can be seen as a country committed to action, a country that cares about matters that extend beyond cynical domestic political calculus, a country that cares, a country that is respected and admired. Or we can revert to the 'bad old times'. We can withdraw, and embarrass ourselves on the global stage. We can confuse and mortify international friends committed to acting on climate change. We can ignore the views of others and snub the opportunity to be part of an international group of leaders. The choice is there, and sadly right now Tony Abbott is—