Senator RYAN (Victoria—Minister for Vocational Education and Skills) (12:42): I seek leave to make a short statement. Leave granted. Senator RYAN: The carbon tax increased household electricity prices and gas prices, reduced business competitiveness and did not reduce emissions to any significant extent. The government is implementing policies that actually work to address climate change. We are on track to meet and to beat our 2020 emissions target and have set an ambitious target of a 26-28 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030. Our renewable energy target will see a doubling of renewable energy generation by 2020. The emissions reduction fund has already achieved 92.8 million tonnes of emissions reduction by supporting businesses to be more energy efficient, to reduce waste and increase recycling and to adopt programs involving reafforesting degraded land and indigenous fire management. The government does not support fossil fuel subsidies.