Wong tipped to move from climate

A new face may become the federal climate change minister, with Penny Wong tipped to
stand aside after a difficult tenure.
Her replacement faces the tough task of crafting a new climate policy - possibly
involving a carbon price - out of a hung parliament.
It will be an important decision for Prime Minister Julia Gillard; climate change
became Labor's Achilles heel as the party struggled to come up with a policy.
Senator Wong was one of Labor's most promising MPs when it won government in 2007,
but as climate minister she did not cut through.
Labor insiders say she has made it clear she does not want to remain in the role.
She did not attend a recent speaking engagement; organisers were told she was not
staying in the job. Her chief of staff is moving on.
There is speculation Senator Wong may be replaced by the articulate Agriculture
Minister Tony Burke, who has handled environmental issues in his portfolio.
Junior climate change minister Greg Combet, who helped fix up the home insulation
debacle, is also touted as a possible successor, as is Infrastructure Minister
Anthony Albanese.
Mr Albanese has taken an interest in climate change and faces a strong Greens vote
in his Sydney-based electorate of Grayndler.
Senator Wong's office declined to comment.
Meanwhile, Greens leader Bob Brown described Australia's climate policy as a "work
in progress" and batted away questions about when a carbon price might begin.
The Greens have signed a deal with Labor which allows Ms Gillard to form government
with the backing of the Greens' lower house MP Adam Bandt.
Part of the deal is for a committee, made up of MPs and experts, to look into a
carbon price.
Senator Brown reiterated his party's support for an interim carbon price to start at
$23 a tonne, with an emissions trading scheme to possibly follow.
He told reporters in Canberra that Australia was "on track to come up with action
through a carbon price",but would not be drawn on when a price might begin, or
whether the committee should include climate expert Ross Garnaut.
Senator Brown wants the committee finalised by the end of this month so it can start
work.
He was less enthusiastic about Labor's doomed citizens' assembly proposal, saying he
was "beastly careless" about it.



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