Nationals stand firm on Labor’s ETS
18th October, 2009
The Nationals will support the negotiation of amendments which make Labor’s proposed emissions trading scheme better for regional Australia, but we continue to have serious objections to the scheme.“The Nationals have always been crystal clear on this matter,” said the Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss.
“We have always said that we would not support legislation that was damaging to regional Australia.
“We have particular problems with the Bill coming to Parliament before the Copenhagen meeting of world leaders on climate change and before we have any idea of what direction the world’s major polluters and our major trading partners will take.
“Labor’s proposal will need to be re-designed if ever there is a global agreement.
“We are supporting the negotiation of amendments to this dog of a plan, because if it just happens to get through the Parliament we should make it less damaging if we can.
“The Government knows its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is flawed and Labor should be fixing it, but they expect the Opposition to do the detailed work required. The fact that so many amendments are necessary demonstrates how flawed the legislation really is.
“Labor’s proposals effectively gut regional Australia and would destroy Australian jobs while delivering nothing for the environment.
“The CPRS is a tax on everything. Energy prices will rise; grocery prices will rise. It is equivalent to increasing the GST by at least 25 percent.
“There are ways to protect our environment without a new tax – The Nationals in Coalition introduced many of them. Destroying jobs and investment in the regions is not the way,” Mr Truss said.
The Nationals’ practical policy response to climate change is available here:
http://www.nationals.org.au/Policy.aspx
