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

(—) (): It will not surprise the Senate to learn that Senator Back is absolutely right: 66 members of this body were elected on either having no carbon tax or getting rid of the carbon tax. Yet it seems impossible to shift Mr Shorten and his 25 Labor senators in this place to do that which they promised the Australian people. The failure of this place to pass the repeal of the carbon tax is as much a blot on the body politic of this nation as the carbon tax is a blot on the economy of this nation. Mr Shorten has a decision to make. He can continue to be in lock step with Senator Milne and the Australian Greens, although they were the architects of Labor's demise and of the carbon tax. If they want to remain in lock step, so be it, but Mr Shorten needs to come clean—would he introduce a carbon tax? (Time expired)