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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Climate Change
Mr DANBY (2.06 p.m.)—My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, I refer you to a Newspoll published today which shows that 79 per cent of Australians think Australia should ratify Kyoto, 86 per cent of Australians think the government should be doing more to tackle climate change and 92 per cent of Australians think the government should significantly increase investment in renewable energy. Does the Prime Minister agree with his parliamentary secretary who dismissed 92 per cent of Australians as just cafe latte drinkers, and does this explain your 10 years of inaction and climate change scepticism?
Mr HOWARD—I think it is the job of political leaders in this country to read opinion polls but to do what they think is right for Australia. It is as simple as that. It may surprise many of those who sit behind me to know that the Leader of the Opposition has only become—how shall I put it?—an eleventh hour convert to the cause of ratifying Kyoto. Some years ago he was not quite as excited about it. In tireless research on this subject, it is amazing what you come across. Maybe there was a time when the Leader of the Opposition was influenced by these words from a person who came from his own native state of Western Australia. This is what this person had to say, writing in November 2001:
For Australia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol is to commit to a policy of decarbonisation of our industrial and export base. It is to inflict upon its people unemployment, profound economic dislocation and decline. For a nation to inflict upon itself such economic and political damage is almost unprecedented.
Those were the words of a highly successful finance minister in the Hawke and Keating government by the name of Senator Peter Walsh. I’ll tell you what: he was a lot more successful than any of you who sit opposite. He was a senior minister in a government. Let me simply say to the member for Melbourne Ports, who is a member I have some considerable respect for—through you, Mr Speaker—
Mr Tanner interjecting—
The SPEAKER—The member for Melbourne will come to order!
Ms Macklin—You’re so out of touch!
Mr HOWARD—Oh yes, very out of touch.
Opposition members interjecting—
The SPEAKER—The opposition have asked the Prime Minister a serious question. He is answering the question. He will be heard.
Mr HOWARD—Mr Speaker, let me say, through you, to the member for Melbourne Ports: yes, I have read that online poll—I think the member for Melbourne Ports understands the import of that adjective. I have read that online poll. Let me tell him and let me tell the Australian people: we listen to their views on this issue. We are aware of the need to take practical measures to address greenhouse gas emissions, but I say to them: we are not going to take measures that destroy the great comparative advantage that this country has, we are not going to be panicked into knee-jerk responses that will hobble great productive Australian industries with enormous costs that are not borne by their competitors overseas and we are not going to ratify a protocol which, in the words of a highly successful Labor minister, would do damage of an economic kind on an unprecedented scale to the great wealth-producing industries of this country.
Mr Wilkie interjecting—
The SPEAKER—The member for Swan is warned!
PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
Michael Danby’s response to the Prime Minister’s attempts to discredit Newspoll on the environment.
Mr DANBY (Melbourne Ports) (3.22 p.m.)—Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
The SPEAKER—Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Mr DANBY—Yes.
The SPEAKER—Please proceed.
Mr DANBY—During question time, the Prime Minister responded to my question about the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage denigrating Australians concerned with global warming as latte drinkers. The Prime Minister claimed that the Newspoll I cited was an online poll and sought to minimise its credibility. In fact, the Newspoll I cited, a climate change study, was conducted nationally amongst 1,200 respondents by fully trained and personally brief interviewers and was postweighted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics by data on age, highest level of schooling, sex and area. I seek leave to table the Newspoll.
The SPEAKER—Leave granted.
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: ADDITIONAL ANSWERS
Prime Minister’s concession that Newspoll showing 92% of Australian’s
concerned with climate change was the authoritative Newspoll.
Mr HOWARD (Bennelong—Prime Minister) (4.59 p.m.)—Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the chair to add to an answer.
Interjection
The SPEAKER—The minister may proceed.
Continue
Mr HOWARD—During question time today the member for Melbourne Ports asked me about a Newspoll published today. As I now discover on checking, I erroneously referred to that as an online poll; it was not. There was another poll which was online and it was in the press today. I confused the two of them, and I apologise to the House for that error.
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Michael Danby says the ABC wont bow the Chinese communist party, click here.
Michael Danby chairs Brisbane hearing on Australia's treatment of migrants with disabilities. Click here.
Click here to read Laurie Oakes's overview of proposals that would cost the taxpayer $500 million dollars to finance political parties, published in The Herald Sun on the 19th of December, 2009.
Michael Danby will be one of the speakers at a short commemoration for the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, to be held at the Elwood Synagogue on the 27th of January. If you would like to attend, please RVSP by emailing alex.devitt@aph.gov.au.
Michael Danby offers special parliamentary hearing to Google on cyber attacks. Click here to read.
Local MP calls for Fitness First to show community spirit. Click here
Click here to read Michael Danby's endorsement of re-listing terrorist organisations and his expression of astonishment at the submission by the federation of community legal centres (VIC) who had called for the de-listing of Hamas.
Click here to read the speech delivered by Governor-General Bryce on Sir Zelman Cowen's 90th Birthday.
Chairman of parliament's environment commitee, Jenny George, produced this ground breaking report into coastal erosion. Click here to read the report, and Michael's speech about the findings here.
Julie Bishop makes a desperate and out of context attack on Michael Danby. Click here
Michael Danby endorses Dr Gerard Henderson's description of the recent terrorism convictions and the effective pattern of trials in dealing with would-be participants in terrorism acts in Australia. Click here.
Michael Danby has called the Liberal Party's recent outburst on Border Security nonsense. Follow the link to see Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, Chris Evans, discuss the recent influx of asylum seekers on Lateline (October 14), click here, or more recently the Minister's interview on the 7.30 Report on the 21st of October. Click here
Who was William Cooper & why we should all know, click here
What's going on at the ABC? ABC TV's reporter Ben Knight is producing some context.... Click here
Michael Danby delivered a detailed speech on New Matilda and Crikey.com declaring them the ‘dark and ugly recesses of the internet' . Mr Danby called on Crikey owner Eric Beecher to explain his publications failure to moderate racist comments. Click here.
Chair of the Parliamentary Migration Committee Michael Danby spoke to ABC News Breakfast about the Committee's new report into immigration detention, click here
Michael Danby isn't just supportive of his own community, he is one of few MPs with the courage to question Beijing on its treatment of minority groups. Says a cover story of the Aust. Jewish News. Click here
Michael Danby joined the Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O'connor to announce funding for Capital Upgrades of Jewish school security. Click here
An All party delegation to India consisting of 6 mps had their outrage towards the recent attacks on Indian students reported in the Economic Times (of India). Click here
Michael Danby promoted the Harmony Day Walk in the Hindustan Times on the 4th of July Click here and on the same day the Sunday Tribune (of Bangalore) newspaper reported on the delegations outcry at the attacks on Indian Students Click here
25 May 2009: Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration Michael Danby, today tabled the 2nd of the Committee's reports into immigration detention. For Michael's tabling speech please click here. Please click here for the media release.
Local area receives Budget millions. Please click here for information on the benefits Melbourne Ports is receiving in the 2009-10 Budget.For a macro explanation of the budget, please see this interview with Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner and this interview with Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Local small businesses were winners in this year's budget. There will be an increase and extension of the Small Business and General Business Tax Break. For more information please see these links to Media Releases from the Minister for Small Business Craig Emerson.
Media Release 1 Media Release 2
The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd blasted Iran's role in undermining the anti racism essence of last week's UN conference, which had the stated objective of opposing bigotry. Click here
Michael Danby argues that it is possible that Australia's bid to win one of the non permanent seats on the UN Security Council will fail because of Australia's principled withdrawal from the chaotic Durban 2 Conference. Click here
New Electoral Commissioner Ed Killesteyn explained that 1.2 million Australians are not enrolled to vote, to see his dramatic opening statement to the Electoral Matters Committee click here.
Chinese Ambassador ticks off Member for Melbourne Ports. Danby welcomes his felicitous response: SMH article, Canberra Times articleForeign Minister defends Danby's appearance at rally click here
Michael Danby today announced that 28 local schools in Melbourne Ports will receive $4 million for minor infrastructure and refurbishment projects under Round One of the National School Pride (NSP) program. Click here
Pauline Hanson drops her bundle appearing on Today Tonight (channel 7) and walks out on an interview over questions about the $200 000 bonus she received, for receiving 4% of the Queensland Senate vote ($2.10 per voter) at the 2007 election click here. To read how Michael Danby exposed her earlier funding rort Click here
The Joint Committee on Migration established a new paradigm for the humane but rational treatment of asylum seekers. Click here.
Liberal Opportunism in Terror Convictions
The successful conviction of Benbrika and 5 of his associates should be marked as a positive achievement in the lawful pursuit of terrorists (or would be terrorists) (click here). This is particularly so given the recent failed trials in the United States and the United Kingdom. It therefore disappointing that the Opposition sought to turn this successful development in the anti-terrorist struggle into a partisan point scoring.
I outline these arguments in a speech to parliament a few hours ago (click here).
Defamation Bigotry and Censorship
Mr Danby responded today in the House of Representatives to malicious claims made by "The Age" on the 21st of June. He reminded the public of their record of Defamation, Bigotry and Censorship under Editor Andrew Jaspan. The speech was made this morning hours before Jaspan was sacked. Click here.
Even the conservative Asian Wall Street Journal editorial page was forced to concede that Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard made a strong and positive impression in an address to key American policy makers in Washington. To read her speech please click here.
Read what the Asian Wall Street Journal commissioned but didn't publish.... Click here
Clive James, one of Australia's most celebrated expatriates penned the following poem in the Australian Literary Review. September 7 2007
