GM HOLDEN

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (14:53): My question again is to the Minister for Manufacturing. Can the Minister for Manufacturing explain how a carbon tax helps Holden's?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:53): I will explain how a carbon tax helps the nation, which helps Holden's.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, they're a corporate citizen in this country.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Davenport.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: The question was to the Minister for Manufacturing. I accept that the Premier can answer it, but the question was how a carbon tax helps Holden's. The Premier started out by trying to answer the question with how it helped Australia. That wasn't the question. I ask you to bring him back to the question.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is vexatious and obstructing the business of the house and, accordingly, I call the member for Davenport to order. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Holden's is a corporate citizen, and what's good for Australia is good for Holden's. What is manifestly good for this country is to ensure that we are a first mover in responding to something that the whole world is going to have to grapple with, and that is carbon pollution. There will be a price placed on carbon, and those countries that make the adjustment first will have their economies minimise the adjustment costs of moving to a carbon constrained future.

On any view of it, from the preponderance of economic advice that we receive, unless you believe in the fake science that is perpetrated and peddled around the place, and unless you believe in superstition, the science is that we need to adjust our economy to a carbon constrained future. The science is that the earlier we make that adjustment the more this will reduce the impact of the costs on our economy. So, this is good for the Australian economy and good for all those that participate in the Australian economy.