CARBON TAX

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:14): Does the Premier agree with BHP Billiton Chairman Jacques Nasser that the carbon tax 'makes business more difficult'? On his first sitting day as the Premier, on 8 November 2011, the Premier told the house that he supports the carbon tax.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:15): I do support putting a price on carbon, and indeed I think it is a—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: On this side of the house, we believe that climate change is real. We believe in the economic assessments that are made in the various reports that were the precursors for both the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the new price on carbon that, in fact, the economic costs of adjustment for those countries that move first and put a price on carbon will be much lower than those countries that delay the inevitable response—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —to the need to place—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —a price on carbon. It has been generally accepted by almost every living and breathing economist that the best way of adjusting your economy in relation to the effects of climate change is in fact to use a price on carbon, because it is the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —best possible way of ensuring that your economy and the businesses in your economy can adjust to those changes. So, we take a broader view—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Look, individual companies will express—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Individual companies will express—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Norwood and the member for Davenport!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Individual companies will express their points of view about how a particular measure may affect them at a particular point in time. We take a broader view about what is in the national and the state interest and, on that basis, we support a price on carbon.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Port Adelaide.