Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has today revealed an extraordinary ignorance of science and economics.

The Industry Minister has concluded National Science Week by proudly accepting the tag of “climate change sceptic”. That’s a complete repudiation for Australia’s internationally respected climate scientists.

Ruling out an emissions trading scheme, Ian Macfarlane told the Sunday program “there are ways to get companies to adopt new technologies”.

There are two ways you can get companies to adopt new technologies, either you create a price signal to encourage the market, which Ian Macfarlane ruled out, or you force them to do it through regulation.

Either that, or he is crossing his fingers and hoping that climate change really doesn’t exist.

Everyone supports new technology. We need the pull of the market as well as the push of new technology to ensure it is deployed. That’s why market mechanisms are at the core of international efforts to tackle climate change.

Ian Macfarlane is dangerously out of touch with the Australian community and Australian businesses.

Despite clear scientific evidence, and strong community concern, Ian Macfarlane doesn’t believe humans are changing our climate. He is the Flat Earther of the 21st Century.

The Howard Government is ignoring countless Government reports that show climate change represents a clear and present danger to the Great Barrier Reef and Kakadu and to our water supplies.

Supporters of a price signal for carbon include Peter Costello, Alexander Downer, Senator Ian Campbell, BP, Rio Tinto, Westpac, IAG, Origin Energy, and Visy.