The Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, has opened the ALP’s 47th National Conference in Melbourne with a speech based around the theme of Advance Australia.
Shorten committed a future Labor government to reintroducing an Emissions Trading Scheme. He said: “A Shorten Labor Government will build an Emissions Trading Scheme for Australia. And we will not be intimidated by the ignorant, ridiculous scare campaigns that will come. We will win this fight.
“Let me say this to our opponents, in words of one syllable: An E.T.S. is not a tax.
“And if Mr Abbott wants to make the next election a contest about who has the best policy solution for climate change … I’ve got a three-word-slogan for him: Bring. It. On.
Text of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s speech opening the ALP’s 47th National Conference in Melbourne.
Friends, delegates, true believers, fellow Australians:
This conference comes at a pivotal time in our national life, and a restless moment in our national mood.
The tests facing Australia are great.
The consequences of failure are grave.
And never has the contrast between us and our opponents been more clear.
Be it jobs, health, education or energy …
Never has the choice between a Labor party planning for the future, and a Liberal party stuck in the past been more stark. [Read more…]