Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Finance and Deregulation) (14:28): I am not surprised that they had to give that to a South Australian to ask—they could not give it to a New South Wales senator because they would have to defend the increase in royalties. They could not give it to a Western Australian senator because they would have to defend the increase in royalties. What is extraordinary, isn't it, is that if a Liberal government imposes a tax it is a good thing; if a Labor government wants to price carbon, it is a bad thing. In terms of the issues—some of the issues to which the senator alluded—it is true that we want to price carbon. It is true that that will impose costs on the top 500 polluters who we anticipate will be required to purchase permits under the scheme. When you ask people to pay for something that is currently free, there is a cost. Currently in this country it is free to pollute. People and businesses can pollute as much as they wish without cost, except that we know there is a cost and that cost is borne by the environment and by future generations of Australians So we are going to impose a price on carbon for the same reasons that Mr Howard went to the 2007 election wanting a price on carbon—an election promise that was not kept by those in this chamber—and that is because it is the most efficient, cheapest way to move to a clean energy economy. It is the cheapest way to reduce emissions. Those are the reasons why we intend to price carbon. We have put in place very significant assistance to industry to reflect those industries which are emissions intensive and trade exposed, and there are additional— (Time expired)