Turnbull v Garrett

Summary of Debate between Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Garrett on The 7.30 Report, 08/02/2007.

Turnbull: We're saving the Murray-Darling.

Garrett: You can't save it properly without doing something about global warming.

Turnbull: You're being alarmist. There's no need to scare people.

Garrett: But global warming is real and Australia will be amongst the hardest hit nations. We need to do something dramatic right now.

Turnbull: There you go being alarmist again. No, we need to take a measured approach.

Garrett: What do you mean by measured approach? It seems to mean a slow approach.

Turnbull: No. It means a sensible approach. We're going to take a sensible approach.

Garrett: How sensible?

Turnbull: Very sensible.

Garrett: No, I mean what are you actually going to do about it?

Turnbull: I told you, we're going to take a measured approach.

Garrett: And what does that involve?

Turnbull: Well we can't be alarmist about this. Why do you Labor people want to go around scaring people? The Liberal Party want everyone to be relaxed and comfortable, which is why they vote for us. Maybe if you stopped scaring people they'd vote for you too.

Garrett: But people need to be worried about this, its the biggest problem facing the world today!

Turnbull: Bigger than terrorism?

Garrett: Well... yes.

Turnbull: You would say that. You're soft on terrorism.

Garrett: What?! No, look, we need to do something about this and we need to do it now.

Turnbull: Why do you hate the economy?

Garrett: Eh?

Turnbull: Clearly you must hate the Australian economy.

Garrett: But we can impose emissions restrictions and a carbon trading scheme which will stimulate business. That's a myth that environmentalism hurts the economy.

Turnbull: You just said you want to restrict business. Therefore you hate the economy. And can I just also say that you also love recessions and debt.

Garrett: You're not making any sense.

Turnbull: Yes I am, you just wouldn't understand because I'm talking about the economy and only a Liberal government can understand the economy.

Garrett: Look, we need to do something about global warming, and we need to do it now. We need to invest in renewable energy sources.

Turnbull: And where's the money for that going to come from?

Garrett: Well where's the money for your magic nuclear power stations going to come from?

Turnbull: From the economy. You wouldn't understand.

Garrett: China uses more renewable energy than we do.

Turnbull: Yes, but they pollute more than we do. There's no point in us doing anything about global warming if they're not going to.

Garrett: But China is saying the same thing about Australia and the US!

Turnbull: Well I don't think its helpful to go playing the blame game. Why do you want to put us at an economic disadvantage?

Garrett: We need to work together. We need to sign the Kyoto protocol for a start...

Turnbull: That's just a piece of paper.

Garrett: No its not, its a multi-lateral agreement...

Turnbull: Why are you so obsessed with a piece of paper?

Garrett: Why won't you sign it if its just a piece of paper?

Turnbull: Because its a piece of paper that will hurt the economy. People will lose their jobs. I would say to everyone at home that if you don't want to lose your job, don't vote Labor.

Garrett: You're the one scaring people with all this rubbish about losing jobs!

Turnbull: No, we're taking a measured approach. The economy, jobs... you wouldn't understand. Did I mention that we've pretty much got this saving the Murray thing sewn up?