Leaders debate immigration, climate

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has accused Tony Abbott of being tricky with his new
immigration policy, saying she is already delivering what the opposition leader has
promised.
Immigration policy and the issue of asylum seekers dominated the first half of the
leaders' debate at the National Press Club in Canberra on Sunday night.
Mr Abbott, who earlier in the day announced the coalition's new immigration policy,
challenged Ms Gillard to match his plan for reducing Australia's immigration intake.
The coalition has promised to cut the annual intake from 300,000 to 170,000 in its
first term of government.
The debate over immigration levels comes amid a wider discussion about population
levels.
"We have nominated what we think is the right number for Australia going forward and
I challenge the prime minister to do likewise," Mr Abbott said.
However, Mr Abbott was forced to defend his policy announcement after it was pointed
out during the debate that it was the former Howard government that had allowed
immigration levels to rise.
"But it's the current government which has presided over immigration numbers of
300,000 a year and something needs to be done about an unsustainable rate of
increase," Mr Abbott said in response.
Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott was being convenient with the truth.
The prime minister said the Labor government had already reduced the immigration
intake from 300,000 in 2008 to 175,000 this year, with further reductions in the
pipeline.
"So the trick here, and I think Tony should really reveal the trick, the trick here
is Tony today has promised the Australian people what I'm already delivering to the
Australian people," Ms Gillard said.
Labor has seized on an independent report that suggests population growth would slow
without the coalition's intervention, with the BIS Shrapnel study from May
indicating net migration would drop to 175,000 this financial year and 145,000 in
2011-10.
On the issue of asylum seekers, Ms Gillard said she was "determined" to set up a
regional processing centre but refused to set a timeline for it.
"I'm not going to set a false deadline here, we will take the time to get it done,"
she said, noting discussions with East Timor, her preferred location, were under
way.
Mr Abbott responded, saying East Timor does not want to host the processing hub.
"There will never be a centre in East Timor, never, just never," he said.
"This is nothing but a pre-election fudge."
A coalition government would stop the boats, Mr Abbott said, with offshore
processing, temporary protection visas and by turning the boats around.
He suggested offshore processing on Nauru, noting it was keen to reopen the
detention centre closed by Labor.
"It (the centre) was built by Australian taxpayers, it can be made operational again
in just a few short weeks."
Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott was "naive" to suggest Nauru as an option, because its
government is in "caretaker mode".
She also warned a policy to turn boats around could prove deadly.
"It's not safe to stop the boats because the boats are destroyed before your very
eyes," she said, adding that it also endangers defence personnel.
On climate change, Ms Gillard indicated she would only bring in a price on carbon if
the coalition agreed to it.
Previously, she has referred to the need for community consensus but in the leaders'
debate she focused on the need for bipartisanship. The coalition opposes a carbon
price.
"What I'm definitely not going to do is try and get (carbon price) legislation
through the parliament, maybe even get it through, and have all of the things change
in our economy that would then change, only to find at the next election, maybe with
a swing in the political cycle, that that is all taken away," she said.
"That would be dreadful for our economy."
A lasting consensus was needed on a carbon price, Ms Gillard said.
She also said the only way for Australia to meet its minimum target to cut emissions
by five per cent by 2020 was through a market-based mechanism.
"I think we can do what we have committed to do," she said.
Mr Abbott accused Ms Gillard of failing on climate change.
"I regret to say that there has been a complete failure of leadership from this
government and from this prime minister," he said.
Mr Abbott criticised Labor for outsourcing the carbon price issue to a citizens'
assembly of 150 people. It should be sorted out by parliament, not a "glorified
focus group", he said.
"What is democracy for?" Mr Abbott asked.
When quizzed on how he would keep a lid on rising grocery prices, Mr Abbott said
there was only so much a government could do.
"Government can't with a stroke of a pen reduce grocery prices," he said.
Mr Abbott said it was foolish and fraudulent of Labor to have promised to restrain
grocery prices before the last election.
But he said people were suffering in the marketplace, and the coalition would cut
Labor's debt and deficit to lower the pressure on prices and taxes.
Ms Gillard said Labor had helped families cope with the cost of living through
increasing education rebates, tax cuts and raising the pension.
"For families, I believe in taking a bit of pressure off," she said.