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Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Page: 9891

Climate Change

Mr HUNT (Flinders) (15:14): My question is to the Prime Minister and in fact follows on from the answer by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. I refer the Prime Minister to her 10 July press release that promised updated Treasury modelling would be available ahead of the introduction of the carbon tax legislation precisely because the modelling wrongly assumes a $20 carbon tax when the actual tax is 15 per cent higher at $23. Given that the government has now introduced that legislation without the updated modelling, why has she broken her promise and when will she keep it?

Ms GILLARD (Lalor—Prime Minister) (15:15): I thank the shadow minister for his question. No. 1—and I think this is very important because it was clear to me even as the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency was delivering his answer that there is confusion about this on the opposition front bench—the modelling of the household impacts and the government's household assistance package is based on a $23 starting price.

Mr Hockey: Business.

Ms GILLARD: The shadow Treasurer did not seem to understand that before, so I did want to clarify that.

Mr Hockey: I said 'business'. You're just deaf.

Government members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: The member for North Sydney will cease interjecting and everybody else will ignore his interjections.

Ms GILLARD: I am clarifying this because it appeared to me that the shadow Treasurer was confused. The household assistance package is modelled on a $23 starting price. Yes, the Treasury modelling of the macroeconomic indicators is based on a $20 starting carbon price. As the shadow minister has indicated, the government is having the modelling updated—

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: Order! The Prime Minister will resume her seat. Order! The standing order requires the responder to be directly relevant to the question. When the Prime Minister is being directly relevant to the question I cannot hear the answer because those on my left, who are supporting the person who asked the question, are all talking at once. The Prime Minister has the call. She should be listened to in silence.

Ms GILLARD: In answer to the shadow minister's question, the updated modelling will be available next week well before the parliament votes on this legislation. Let's be frank, the updated modelling will not change anybody's mind in the opposition because they are not interested in the facts.

Mr Hunt: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table the Prime Minister's press release—

The SPEAKER: Leave is not granted.

Mr Hunt: pledging updated modelling before the legislation—

The SPEAKER: Leave is not granted and the member for Flinders ain't got the call. The member for Flinders no longer has the call so his comments are drifting off into the ether.