Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

(—) (): The major impediment to the removal of the carbon tax is Mr Shorten and the Australian Labor Party. After about 40 hours of debate in relation to these measures in this place we still do not have a resolution. After about three to four hours of debate in committee on just the first amendment, those opposite—the Labor Party and the Greens—have been unable to bring themselves to vote on simply that one amendment. So, having promised no carbon tax and having promised to remove the carbon tax, the Labor senators in this chamber are doing everything they can to keep the carbon tax on life support. The major impediment, Senator Back, to the removal of the carbon tax is Mr Shorten's manic determination to keep the carbon tax, which makes me think that if he were ever to become Prime Minister he would reintroduce the carbon tax. (Time expired)