Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question. What I think needs to be made clear is that the Australian people decided last year that we as a nation needed to take responsibility for climate change. What this government has done in response is give a commitment to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions at the least cost and adapt to the impacts of climate change which cannot be avoided. We see it as our responsibility as the government, on behalf of this nation, to help shape a global solution to this global problem.

The government is committed to a target of reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent of 2000 levels by 2050. What we do say is that climate change is the challenge of this generation. What we say is that there is probably no more significant issue for this society than developing an appropriate response to climate change, whether it be in terms of our houses—