Mr COMBET (Charlton—Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency) (14:57): Of course—on Sunday—the government will be announcing the details of a carbon price package that will cut pollution and— Ms O'Dwyer interjecting— The SPEAKER: As a new member of the House, the member for Higgins may not realise that once I have given a general warning there are a number of options that I can take. I might chance my arm and name somebody soon. She is absolutely warned, because I intend to name her if she does not take recognition of the general warning. Mr COMBET: As I was saying, the government will be announcing the details of the carbon price. It will cut pollution, it will drive investment in clean energy and it will provide strong support for households and jobs. This morning the government's plan to put a price on carbon pollution received more support from the business community. Companies like AGL, Fujitsu, Ikea and General Electric, and 51 others, are now part of an organisation called Businesses for a Clean Economy, and in a statement released today these and a host of other businesses stated: As major Australian and international corporations and representative associations operating across the Australian economy we strongly support the introduction of a well designed carbon price to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Those companies, which are major corporations operating within our economy, know, along with every credible economist, that putting a price on carbon pollution is the cheapest and most cost-effective way of cutting pollution. Of course, it is not a tax on households; it is a charge that will be paid by fewer than 1,000 of the largest polluters in the economy for every tonne of pollution that they produce. The carbon price will be good for the economy and it will be good for the environment, whilst households will be assisted to meet the modest cost impacts of the introduction of a carbon price. Nine out of 10 households will get some combination of tax cuts and increased payments. Pensioners will benefit from an increase in the pension. Many self-funded retirees will receive assistance equal to the extra payments that we will provide to other pensioners, part pensioners and carers. At least three million households will also get a 20 per cent buffer over and above the average price impacts of the carbon price to give them that bit of extra cash. Families, tradespeople and of course small businesses with light commercial vehicles will not face a fuel price rise as a result of the introduction of a carbon price. These are very important commitments to accompany the introduction of the carbon price in our economy. Households should also be very clear that the Leader of the Opposition intends taking all of these rises in the pension, intends clawing back the tax cuts, intends taking back all of the assistance— Mr Pyne: Mr Speaker— Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! The minister and the Manager of Opposition Business will resume their seats. There are some people that I do not hear from at the best of times; I am disappointed to hear from them during a general warning, and they will remain unnamed. The Manager of Opposition Business has a point of order. Mr PYNE: Mr Speaker, I simply point out that the minister was not asked to debate the question. He was not asked to attack the opposition. I would ask you to draw him back to the question or sit him down. The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business has made a relevant point of order. I cringe when I hear a question that finishes with: 'How has it been received and what is the government's response?' but I do have an expectation that ministers will try to relate their material directly to that aspect of the question without just going into debate willy-nilly. The minister has the call and he should recognise that point. Mr COMBET: Of course, I was asked how the government's announcement of a carbon price has been received and what the government's response to that is. It is relevant, I would submit, that the opposition has a position that it would take away the benefits that the government intends providing as part of this package to pensioners, self-funded retirees and families. Mr Pyne: He is defying your ruling, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER: You might consider that he is defying, but I am simply absolutely trying to indicate the difficulties that the chair has under the present standing orders that allow questions that have this type of addition at the end. I will listen carefully, very carefully, to the way in which the minister relates his material directly, because that is the new standing order. Under the previous standing order, ministers from both sides of politics perfected ways of making a smidgen of relevance, but this has to be directly relevant. Therefore the preamble of the question is very important. The minister. Mr COMBET: The choice for the Australian people in relation to this issue is very clear. The government wants to provide tax cuts, pension increases and increased payments for households. The Leader of the Opposition wants to tax households an extra $720 a year to pay money— The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat.