”For the sake of the planet, let’s get going”

Former opposition leader and Environment Minister in the previous Government, Malcolm Turnbull has savaged the coalition’s direct action plan to combat climate change as a “recipe for fiscal recklessness”, saying he would cross the floor to vote with Labor when a vote was taken on the carbon pollution reduction scheme, while World Vision chief executive Tim Costello – brother of former treasurer Peter Costello – urged the Greens to do ”everything they can” to get a scheme in place.

AAP reports (8 February 2010:

FORMER opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull has savaged the coalition’s direct action plan to combat climate change as a “recipe for fiscal recklessness”.

Giving his first parliamentary speech since losing the Liberal leadership in December, Mr Turnbull indicated he would cross the floor to vote with Labor when a vote was taken on the carbon pollution reduction scheme.

Mr Turnbull was scathing of the coalition’s new direct-action policy which aims to provide financial incentives to industry for reducing carbon emissions.

“We all know … that industry and businesses attended by an army of lobbyists are particularly persuasive and all too effective at getting their sticky fingers into the taxpayer’s pocket,” he told Parliament.

“Having the Government pick projects for subsidy is a recipe for fiscal recklessness on a grand scale.

“And there will always be a temptation for projects to be selected for their political appeal.”

A handful of Liberal MPs, including treasury spokesman Joe Hockey, were present in the chamber during Mr Turnbull’s speech.

The Government allowed Mr Turnbull an additional 10 minutes to complete his speech as other MPs, including climate change sceptic Wilson Tuckey, wandered into the lower house ahead of a maiden speech by first-time MP Kelly O’Dwyer.

Mr Turnbull said his strong and long-standing personal commitment to an emissions trading scheme prevented him from voting against the Government legislation.

Mr Turnbull committed the Liberals to supporting the legislation before he was dumped in favour of Tony Abbott, who has since released an alternative climate change policy.

Today, he urged Australia to have a climate change strategy in place before the next global talks in Mexico later this year.

“Prudence demands that we act to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and do so in a way that is consistent with, and promotes global action to do the same,” he said.

“All of us here are accountable, not just to our constituents, but to the generations that will come after them and after us,” he said, adding it was Parliament’s job to legislate for the nation’s long-term future.

It was positive that both sides of Parliament had agreed to at least a five per cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

“But it is not enough to say that you support these cuts, you must also deliver a strong, credible policy framework that will deliver them.”

Without a strong climate change policy, Australia could not expect other countries, such as China and India, to heed the call to tackle global warming.

Source: www.theaustralian.com.au

Adam Morton in The Age (8 February 2010):

SOCIAL justice groups are pressuring the Greens to abandon their opposition to the government’s emissions trading scheme, arguing continued rejection of the contentious bill could set back climate change policy in Australia for years.

While none fully backed the government’s revamped scheme, World Vision, the Uniting Church and the Brotherhood of St Laurence each supported it being passed. They dismissed Coalition claims the scheme would hurt the poor, saying they would be adequately supported through a package paying 120 per cent compensation to low-income households.

World Vision and the Uniting Church called on the Greens to set aside concerns the scheme did not do enough to cut greenhouse gas emissions and accept it as the best option available. World Vision chief executive Tim Costello urged the Greens to do ”everything they can” to get a scheme in place.

”For the sake of the planet let’s get going, let’s show some movement, and a price on carbon is the only way,” he said.

Mark Zirnsak, director of the Uniting Church’s social justice unit, said the Senate’s opposition to the bill had been ”a real win for the sceptics”.

He said the Greens’ proposal of an interim $20 carbon tax, with the price rising with inflation, would lead to more delays and a further round of industry lobbying for compensation.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence’s Tony Nicholson said Labor’s proposal was the best on offer and its compensation for low-income households was ”very adequate”.

The emissions bill could pass if it was backed by the five Greens senators and retained the support of the two Liberal senators, Judith Troeth and Sue Boyce, who voted with the government in December.

Greens climate change spokeswoman Christine Milne dismissed this possibility. She said the Greens’ proposal – the subject of ongoing negotiations with Climate Change Minister Penny Wong – had won wide support as a ”deadlock breaker”.

Source: www.theage.com.au