Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Oh, I hear them over there. Here we go! The government's reforms will ensure that all large facilities, new or existing, are required to reduce their emissions. This sends a strong message that we are serious about our net zero commitments and serious about supporting business. These are reforms that will help businesses and regional communities transform their operations with a $600 million package as part of a larger $1.9 billion Powering the Regions Fund.

But after a wasted decade in government, what are we going to see from the other side? We're going to see, yet again, the Leader of the Opposition oppose our reforms because he wants to rehash tired, negative scare campaigns. As one respected commentator noted, 'Peter Dutton is like a microwaved Tony Abbott,' reheating pathetic scare tactics and fuelling internal divisions. The question for those opposite is: are you going to look to the future, or will you just stay stuck in your own past? There are those on the other side—and I note that Mr Dutton's comments were in response to Senator Birmingham and Senator Bragg—actually urging their colleagues to listen to what the electorate said.