ID :
119215
Wed, 04/28/2010 - 18:03
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/119215
The shortlink copeid
PM switches to renewable energy scheme
The federal government is planning to unveil the biggest renewable energy program
the country has ever seen, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.
The government shelved plans this week for its controversial carbon reduction
pollution scheme until at least 2013, after failing to pass its legislation in the
Senate.
However, Mr Rudd says his government remains committed to the scheme and to reducing
greenhouse gases, and in the meantime it will turn its attention to renewable
energy.
"This government in its commitment to greenhouse gas reduction targets has not
changed those targets one bit, nor will we," he told reporters in Sydney on
Wednesday.
"The government's commitment to a carbon reduction pollution scheme to give effect
to those targets, as the most effective and cheapest way of doing so, has not
changed.
"In the meantime you'll see the government roll out the biggest renewable energy
plan this country has ever seen."
Public servants working on the shelved carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS) will
be put to work on the federal government's renewable energy plans, Mr Rudd says.
"In the short term, you'll see the government roll out the accelerated
implementation of our renewable energy plan for Australia," he said.
"This renewable energy plan is important to see greater reliance on solar energy, on
wind power, on geothermal, on wave power as well ... across the country.
"Very soon, the government will be announcing short-listed projects from the $1.5
billion solar flagships program."
The government would also be announcing two other major projects designed to
generate significant amounts of renewable energy, Mr Rudd added.
"There is a truckload of work about to happen when it comes to renewable energy
plans for the entire nation and these projects will be rolled out one by one."
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the prime minister has put the emissions trading
scheme (ETS) and its "great big new tax" in his back pocket, to be brought out after
the election.
Campaigning in the seat of Forde, south of Brisbane, Mr Abbott said delaying the ETS
until at least 2013 was a ruse.
"Mr Rudd is back-pedalling on his ETS. He's trying to hide it, he's changed his
tactic, but he hasn't changed his mind," Mr Abbott told reporters.
He said an ETS would mean a 25 per cent jump in electricity prices, supermarket
price hikes of up to five per cent, 126,000 jobs lost in regional Australia, and the
closure of 12 major coal mines.
"That is just the beginning," he said.
"It will cascade through the economy, it will get bigger over time, and that will
mean the economic burdens just grow.
"The fact is if you want to avoid an ETS, if you want to escape the big new tax that
Mr Rudd is planning for you, there's only one way to do it and that is to vote for
the coalition at the next election."
Mr Abbott says the elderly will lose the most if the federal government goes ahead
with an ETS.
Speaking at an aged care village south of Brisbane, he said the elderly residents of
Palm Lake Resort were more exposed to an ETS because many were on fixed incomes.
Mr Abbott said it was not the federal government's stimulus spending that had saved
Australia from going into recession, but the reforms introduced by previous
governments.
"What Mr Rudd has done by rolling back those reforms is actually expose us to the
next recession, and he has mortgaged the future through a spending spree which owes
much more to Mr Rudd's political interests than it does to any concerns of economic
management," Mr Abbott said.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard says businesses that have spent millions
preparing for an ETS should blame Tony Abbott for its sudden delay.
Ms Gillard says that the opposition leader shares the blame in the ETS delay and he
should hear from businesses that have now been impacted by the government's
decision.
"They ought to pick up the phone and ring Tony Abbott," she told reporters in
Melbourne on Wednesday.
"Tony Abbott walked away from it, so it's Tony Abbott's conduct that has cost
business the certainty it seeks."
Ms Gillard says voters can remain confident that her party will act on climate change.
Labor believes in climate change while the Liberals remain a party with sceptics,
she said.
The federal government has also hinted its decision to delay its ETS could cost jobs.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said Senate troubles and slower-than-expected
international progress on the issue had forced Labor to delay the scheme until at
least 2013.
"Action on climate change remains the right thing to do," she told ABC Radio on
Wednesday, adding the government had to deal with the political realities of "where
we are".
Senator Wong could not rule out job cuts within her department as a result of the
decision.
"That'll be an issue for the secretary to determine, which is the best way to deploy
the resources of the department," she said.
Senator Wong defended the delay, saying it would take time for greater climate
change clarity to come internationally.
"The Kyoto (Protocol) period ends in 2012, and major economies will have to come to
a view about what the post-Kyoto arrangements are," she said.
When questioned why the government was not using a double dissolution to force the
issue with the opposition, she said: "This is a contested space and we will continue
to contest the position."
Mr Abbott said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wasn't brave enough to take difficult
policies to the next election.
"The choice was between action and inaction, and he's chosen inaction," he said.
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown accused the prime minister of giving up on
climate change.
"He's decided it's all too hard," he said.
the country has ever seen, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.
The government shelved plans this week for its controversial carbon reduction
pollution scheme until at least 2013, after failing to pass its legislation in the
Senate.
However, Mr Rudd says his government remains committed to the scheme and to reducing
greenhouse gases, and in the meantime it will turn its attention to renewable
energy.
"This government in its commitment to greenhouse gas reduction targets has not
changed those targets one bit, nor will we," he told reporters in Sydney on
Wednesday.
"The government's commitment to a carbon reduction pollution scheme to give effect
to those targets, as the most effective and cheapest way of doing so, has not
changed.
"In the meantime you'll see the government roll out the biggest renewable energy
plan this country has ever seen."
Public servants working on the shelved carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS) will
be put to work on the federal government's renewable energy plans, Mr Rudd says.
"In the short term, you'll see the government roll out the accelerated
implementation of our renewable energy plan for Australia," he said.
"This renewable energy plan is important to see greater reliance on solar energy, on
wind power, on geothermal, on wave power as well ... across the country.
"Very soon, the government will be announcing short-listed projects from the $1.5
billion solar flagships program."
The government would also be announcing two other major projects designed to
generate significant amounts of renewable energy, Mr Rudd added.
"There is a truckload of work about to happen when it comes to renewable energy
plans for the entire nation and these projects will be rolled out one by one."
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the prime minister has put the emissions trading
scheme (ETS) and its "great big new tax" in his back pocket, to be brought out after
the election.
Campaigning in the seat of Forde, south of Brisbane, Mr Abbott said delaying the ETS
until at least 2013 was a ruse.
"Mr Rudd is back-pedalling on his ETS. He's trying to hide it, he's changed his
tactic, but he hasn't changed his mind," Mr Abbott told reporters.
He said an ETS would mean a 25 per cent jump in electricity prices, supermarket
price hikes of up to five per cent, 126,000 jobs lost in regional Australia, and the
closure of 12 major coal mines.
"That is just the beginning," he said.
"It will cascade through the economy, it will get bigger over time, and that will
mean the economic burdens just grow.
"The fact is if you want to avoid an ETS, if you want to escape the big new tax that
Mr Rudd is planning for you, there's only one way to do it and that is to vote for
the coalition at the next election."
Mr Abbott says the elderly will lose the most if the federal government goes ahead
with an ETS.
Speaking at an aged care village south of Brisbane, he said the elderly residents of
Palm Lake Resort were more exposed to an ETS because many were on fixed incomes.
Mr Abbott said it was not the federal government's stimulus spending that had saved
Australia from going into recession, but the reforms introduced by previous
governments.
"What Mr Rudd has done by rolling back those reforms is actually expose us to the
next recession, and he has mortgaged the future through a spending spree which owes
much more to Mr Rudd's political interests than it does to any concerns of economic
management," Mr Abbott said.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard says businesses that have spent millions
preparing for an ETS should blame Tony Abbott for its sudden delay.
Ms Gillard says that the opposition leader shares the blame in the ETS delay and he
should hear from businesses that have now been impacted by the government's
decision.
"They ought to pick up the phone and ring Tony Abbott," she told reporters in
Melbourne on Wednesday.
"Tony Abbott walked away from it, so it's Tony Abbott's conduct that has cost
business the certainty it seeks."
Ms Gillard says voters can remain confident that her party will act on climate change.
Labor believes in climate change while the Liberals remain a party with sceptics,
she said.
The federal government has also hinted its decision to delay its ETS could cost jobs.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said Senate troubles and slower-than-expected
international progress on the issue had forced Labor to delay the scheme until at
least 2013.
"Action on climate change remains the right thing to do," she told ABC Radio on
Wednesday, adding the government had to deal with the political realities of "where
we are".
Senator Wong could not rule out job cuts within her department as a result of the
decision.
"That'll be an issue for the secretary to determine, which is the best way to deploy
the resources of the department," she said.
Senator Wong defended the delay, saying it would take time for greater climate
change clarity to come internationally.
"The Kyoto (Protocol) period ends in 2012, and major economies will have to come to
a view about what the post-Kyoto arrangements are," she said.
When questioned why the government was not using a double dissolution to force the
issue with the opposition, she said: "This is a contested space and we will continue
to contest the position."
Mr Abbott said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wasn't brave enough to take difficult
policies to the next election.
"The choice was between action and inaction, and he's chosen inaction," he said.
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown accused the prime minister of giving up on
climate change.
"He's decided it's all too hard," he said.
