Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

This is actually not a question that relates to the amendments strictly speaking but, with an abundance of helpfulness, I will just say that the government is of course aware that there has been a lot of debate for a very long time about the alternative merits of a series of potential policy approaches to address climate change in the world and here in Australia.

The Australian people at the last election very clearly voted in favour of getting rid of the carbon tax, in favour of getting rid of the Labor-Greens failed approach, which is pushing up the cost of electricity, pushing up the cost of gas, pushing up the cost of living and pushing up the cost of doing business, which is making it harder for manufacturing businesses across Australia in particular to compete globally and costing jobs across Australia.

We have right now, as a result of the mismanagement of the previous government, an economy which is still growing below trend. We inherited a situation from the previous government with rising unemployment. We are working very hard to turn that situation around. Getting rid of the carbon tax—Labor's failed carbon tax—is a central part of our economic action strategy to build a stronger, more prosperous economy. Our Emissions Reduction Fund, our Direct Action policy, will help to achieve emission reductions in Australia in an affordable, economically responsible and environmentally efficient way, and the government stands by the policies that we took to the last election and that were endorsed by the Australian people.