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I am not deeply involved in Australian politics but I know there are prime ministers, governments around the world who are not acting responsibly in relation to climate change.

But Australia faces additional regional and global challenges also crucial to our nation's future - climate change, questions of energy and food security, the rise of China and the rise of India. And we need a strong system of global and regional relationships and institutions to underpin stability.

The Government's mission is to build a strong and fair Australia capable of meeting the new challenges of the 21st century.

I want to make sure we are presenting to the South Australian people a Government that is open and accountable. I want to make sure that we maintain public confidence in government at all levels.

I want to see a connected and progressive future for Australia, where we harness our greatest natural resources: sun, wind, and brain power.

We must start to prepare for a warming world in the same way that we prepare for the possibility of terrorism - by making sure our infrastructure is secure and by working to minimize threats as much as possible.

With so much at risk, you might expect Australia to be at the forefront of the clean-energy revolution and the international effort to cut carbon pollution. After all, the continent's vast, empty deserts were practically designed for solar-power installations.

I care about climate change because of our children. I want to safeguard their future.

I do not believe we can effectively move Australia to a lower emission economy, which is what we need to do if we're going to make a contribution to a global reduction in greenhouse gases, without putting a price on carbon.