Annette Hurley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Climate change affects primary industries more than most other industries in Australia at the moment. That is true. We are going to have to deal with that in an effective way—climate change consisting of both pollution and the change in climate. Pollution—carbon pollution in particular—has been a matter of interest to countries around the world for decades. It is not a recent phenomenon. Carbon pollution was a matter of great interest to the United Kingdom. London dealt with the pea-souper fogs and the dreadful carbon pollution that it had by regulating against domestic coal and wood fires—principally coal. The resulting turnaround in the climate has been astounding. It has impelled the London and UK authorities to act further. In Europe, similar action was taken to combat acid rain which was affecting agriculture and other industries. European authorities started acting against carbon and other pollution decades ago, and that is why Australia is behind. That is why Australia is still a great pollution emitter, despite the natural advantages we have. This government and this minister are attempting to do something about that and it is being rejected.