Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I will take that interjection. He says, 'That's not true.' He advocates a policy that will cost taxpayers more and will do nothing to address Australia's pollution. The bizarre thing about this debate is that those on the other side are actually advocating a taxpayer funded bureaucracy, while those of us on this side of the chamber are advocating a market mechanism. The Labor Party is advocating a market mechanism, because—guess what?—it is efficient. You want a taxpayer funded series of rorts that will not do anything to ensure Australia reduces its emissions.

Climate change is real and, if not tackled, it will impose substantial economic and social costs on future generations. Ignoring this problem will not make it go away. Direct Action, as I have said, is a con. There is a reason that the government does not want to provide any real detail on how Direct Action will work before this repeal is voted on; and that is that Direct Action does not work and will not work. Labor remains committed to tackling climate change in the most cost-effective way. We support moving from a fixed price on carbon to an emissions trading scheme. That is the policy we took to the last election and that reflects our fundamental values, our determination to protect the natural environment, our commitment to create jobs and secure economic growth and our pursuit of a fair society—including fairness across the generations. That is why Labor will vote against these bills.