Ignoring all the politics and those that have lost or gained jobs due to their beliefs about controlling carbon emissions, I think the Greens leader was right when he said, "It's a 'green letter day' but one which will echo down the ages ... there's a celebration going on in this nation today. People 50 or 500 years from now will thank us for the passage of this legislation."
I suppose the downside is that the Coalition opposition is vowing to repeal the legislation if it wins the next election, which seems likely.
We shall see what we shall see but this is a breath of fresh air
and puts us back in the forefront of those nations committed to preserving the earth is a state liveable for humans. 
Even it it does increase our cost of living, it's worth it. And it might just pursued a few other countries to tow the line - America, China and India for instance. 
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It is obviously a commercial enterprise and all the Japanese marketing proves it.
I am sure Greenpeace would love to do that if Australia is chicken.
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Although time is fast running out, I don't think it is yet too late to make an effective concerted effort. Please, Oh Please! If you had lived through that killer fog that blanketed London in 1952, you would know how terrible pollution can be.