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

I thank Senator Payman for her question, and I thank all of my colleagues on this side, the Greens and the members on the crossbench who supported this historic legislation. I know those opposite are fools returning to their folly over and over again, but one of the things that they seem not to have understood is that the Australian people at the last election returned a parliament—not just a government, but a parliament—supportive of action on climate change. Those opposite are still stuck in the fights of years past. In fact, I listened to some of the debate, which Senator McAllister handled extraordinarily well, and I thought: I remember this. I remember Senator Joyce standing down there asking the same questions. I remember then senator Ian Macdonald. I remember a whole range of people, like Senator Minchin, who said that climate change was a left-wing conspiracy to de-industrialise the Western world.

These people have not changed. They have not changed. I would say two things to those opposite. The first is: this legislation is one part—not the only part, but a critical and important part—of ensuring that Australia can thrive and prosper in a world that is moving to net zero by 2050.