Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. I refer the minister to today's announcement by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency of a new $12 million carbon tax advertising campaign, which is in addition to the existing $13.7 million public engagement campaign. How can the government have decided how much money—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! As I have said, every senator is entitled to be heard in silence. If you disagree with anything that is being said you can debate it at the end of question time. Continue, Senator Birmingham.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How can the government have decided how much to spend on advertising its carbon tax when the government claims to still not know how much its carbon tax is going to be?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is the case that Minister Combet has publicly announced today that the government intends to undertake a public information campaign to explain to Australians how its policies tackling climate change will affect them. Mr Combet is—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, do you want me to answer the question?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I doubt that you will.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, ignore the interjections, address your comments to me and continue with your answer.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Combet went on to say in his press release, which no doubt Senator Birmingham, being an assiduous senator, has read, that:

… a final decision on proceeding with advertising would depend on the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee discussions and on an advertising campaign meeting the requirements of the Govern­ment’s Guidelines on Campaign Advertising.

Obviously Mr Combet has outlined the position in relation to a final decision which I think goes to your policy point, Senator. I would make the point, Senator Birmingham, in relation to the $12 million campaign, that it compares reasonably well with the $118.7 million spent by the Howard government advertising the GST, the $121 million spent advertising Work Choices and the $254 million spent on all campaign advertising during its last year in office, 2007. And, of course, how could we forget the mouse pads? So Senator—through you, Mr President—the government have been transparent and upfront about our intentions and the reasons for that, and we will go through a proper process to ensure that any such campaign meets the requirements of the government's guidelines on campaign advertising. (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Having read Minister Combet's press release, I am aware that he also announced a $3 million program to provide grants of up to $250,000 for organisations to engage with the public on the carbon tax. Will the minister rule out any of those grants being provided to any of the organisations funding the current 'Say yes' campaign, which, the government has to date stressed, is not government funded in any way?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My reading of the press release was that the minister had announced the intention to launch the grant program. I am not possessed of any information which could enable me to tell you who those grants would go to at this point. Obviously, the announcement today—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will Labor Party branches get them as well?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, you're still here!

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, tell us if the Labor Party can apply. It would be typical of their practices.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Wong, please continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, the announcement today is for the launch of the grant program, as and from 30 June 2011. If I have any further details about the guidelines associated with that program, I will seek to provide them to you, Senator. But I read the press release as simply indicating that the program had opened. This is an extremely modest campaign compared with the $121 million spent on Work Choices—one-tenth, in fact. (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Why is it that Australians, who will have to pay more under Labor's carbon tax, are now being made to pay also for Labor's political advertising to sell its carbon tax; and why is it that the minister will not rule out using taxpayers' money to line the pockets of Labor's political mates and allies, like GetUp! and the ACTU, who are already doing your bidding?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will proceed when there is silence. Minister.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This must be the day for feigned indignation in the chamber. We had Senator Ronaldson earlier today—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and we have Senator Birmingham now waxing indignant as a member of a party that spent $254 million in its last year in government on public advertising and $121-plus million adver­tising laws which were about ensuring Australians were easier to sack. So do not come in here, Senator Birmingham, lecturing us about public moneys. This is an important public policy issue, an issue which will affect Australians, and people are entitled to understand what this policy is. They certainly are entitled to that in the face of the irresponsible scaremongering that moderates like you, who used to believe in climate change and a price on carbon, ought be ashamed of. The reality is that Australians are entitled to have the record set straight. (Time expired)