Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

It beggars belief that on that side of the House—including the interjecting member—they think they know more about the science of climate change than 97 per cent of the scientists who have contributed to this conversation. Ninety-seven per cent of peer reviewed scientists think that climate change is real and caused by humans, and, remarkably, people on that side of the House think that they know better.

It is the same when it comes to economists. In a Fairfax survey of 35 prominent economists, just two of them said that they preferred the coalition's dodgy policy. Chris Caton from BT Financial Group said that any economist who did not opt for emissions trading should hand their degree back. That gives you a sense of the near unanimity in the forward thinking, right thinking, rational conversation, whether it be among environmental scientists or economists, about this issue. And those opposite think that they know better.

This bill is just another in a series of attacks on the sensible response to climate change introduced by the last Labor government. It is another demonstration of the government placing ideology over the advice of experts, whether they be scientists or economists, who are unified in agreement about the need to respond to the threat of climate change. This is just the type of legislation we have come to expect from the climate change denialists, conspiracy theorists and enemies of science who currently occupy the government benches.

Labor will be opposing the repeal of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency Act and all that that means for renewable energy in Australia, in my electorate and right around the country, because we care about the economy, we care about the environment and we care about the climate we will leave to future generations of Australians.

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