Labor believes the science and will continue to fight for real action on climate change

Media Release

Today I spoke in the Australian Parliament on the need for real action on climate change – watch it here.

There is no doubt that our earth is warming and our seas rising – or that humankind is the cause. 

And if we do not act, the consequences will be severe.

Governments of the world, both progressive and conservative, are making their choice clear.

Today, 39 national and 23 sub-national jurisdictions have implemented or are on track to implement carbon pricing instruments, including emissions trading schemes.

But the Abbott Government’s staggering display of blustering arrogance and craven incompetence in the Senate has made one thing abundantly clear.

Only one political party in Australia has a serious, substantial and credible climate change policy – the Australian Labor Party.

Labor believes the science and will continue to fight for real action on climate change – for an emissions trading scheme. 

It is the policy we took to the last election, and it is what our amendments moved again in the Parliament today will deliver.

Inaction will be a disaster for the Australian economy and our environment.

It will be a disaster that guarantees Tony Abbott will be remembered forever for his environmental vandalism.

Bill Shorten
Leader of the Opposition