Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Minister Wong. Will the minister confirm that the Queensland coalmining communities are being placed in an untenable position due to the Rudd Labor government’s flawed and bureaucratic emissions trading scheme and the $2.4 billion carbon tax placed on the Queensland industry?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government recognises that failure to act on climate change will have an impact on jobs, including jobs in Queensland, and will ensure, if we continue to fail to act, that we forgo the jobs that will be developed in the cleaner technologies and renewable energy industries which will ensure that Australia continues to have economic strength, not only now but into the future.

But, of course, we recognise that this is a transition and that transition requires that we support industries, households and Australian businesses through this period. That is why the government’s scheme puts in place a very significant investment in assisting Australian industry to manage the impact of the introduction of a carbon price through the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

I would remind the senator from Queensland that the Garnaut report and other reports have outlined the ways in which employment and our economy will be affected by climate change. Approximately 90,000 people are employed in agriculture in the Murray-Darling Basin. The Great Barrier Reef employs tens of thousands of Queenslanders. It is simply not open to this nation to continue to avoid the challenge of climate change, as the previous government did for 12 years. The fact is that this is a challenge that is before us. We have to manage it responsibly and sensibly, and that is why the government has put forward a balanced package.

The good senator seems to fail to recall the very substantial assistance provided to industries which are potentially affected. It includes some $750 million to the coal sector and significant provision of free permits—(Time expired)

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to her answer to a question from Senator Boyce in the chamber this week where she said:

Those opposite never talk about the jobs that are lost or forgone.

I draw the minister’s attention to the Courier Mail article today which reports that three Labor MPs from Queensland, Mr Bidgood, Ms Livermore and Mr Trevor, have been gagged from talking about the elephant in their electorates: lost and forgone jobs due to the implications of the Rudd government’s emissions trading scheme. Has the minister or her office directed or advised these MPs and others not to talk about the job loss implications in their electorates?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not know if Senator Boswell has met CT—Mr Trevor—but he is not really somebody you would be able to shut up even if you wanted to. And the fact is that if the good senator looks, for example, at some of the local papers this week I know he will see that Ms Livermore has spoken about these issues. These MPs continue to put their views to government, they continue to represent their constituents assiduously, and it is not unusual for government to provide a response to a range of questions through the relevant frontbencher. But the issue here is that what we have on the other side is a willingness to do anything and say anything to avoid acting on climate change. That is the position of Senator Boswell. That is the position of many people on that side of the chamber. (Time expired)

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister now act to save not only her job but her three Labor colleagues’ jobs and, more importantly, the jobs of tens of thousands of her fellow Australians and dump this scheme like a hot cake?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will act in the national interest, Senator Boswell. We will bear in mind not only supporting today’s jobs but the jobs of tomorrow. I ask Senator Boswell: is he going to take a similar approach to the approach of the shadow minister when he made a range of assertions about Sun Metals, for example, about potential alleged job losses which led to Sun Metals saying publicly:

“We had a meeting with Mr Greg Hunt three or four months ago and at that time there was no … assistance for zinc, but since then we have made significant progress and we will now get significant compensation, so I can say for sure there is no way we will shut down. This story is based on very old information. I don’t know why Mr Robb would say these things.”

The fact is you have been caught out again. You on that side will do anything and say anything to avoid taking action on climate change. We are acting in the national interest. (Time expired)