ID :
164691
Mon, 02/28/2011 - 12:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/164691
The shortlink copeid
Turnbull backs ETS but Libs will scrap tax
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has vowed to scrap the carbon tax if elected prime minister but former leadership rival Malcolm Turnbull says he still believes in an emissions trading scheme (ETS).
Mr Abbott on Monday said that shadow cabinet had approved a policy of rescinding Labor's ETS if the coalition took office.
But the announcement was overshadowed by comments by Mr Turnbull who, in a broad-ranging interview with the BBC, said he still supported an ETS, despite it ending his leadership in 2009.
Another distraction was the revelation by key independent MP Tony Windsor, who said that during talks on forming minority government last year Mr Abbott had "begged" him to deliver power to the coalition.
Mr Abbott, who visited a bus operator in Queanbeyan to highlight the cost of a carbon tax on fuel, said it was a broken election promise by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"Our position on this is the same as our position on the mining tax - we will oppose it in opposition, we will rescind it in government," Mr Abbott said.
One of the keys to the government getting its ETS through parliament, Mr Windsor said he had discussed climate change with Mr Abbott during talks on forming minority government last year.
Mr Windsor said he got the impression that the coalition leader would have supported a carbon price if the policy was put to him during these talks.
"He actually begged for the job ... (he said) `I will do anything to get this job'," Mr Windsor said.
But Mr Abbott told reporters that at no stage did he offer to back an ETS.
"I was absolutely crystal clear ... that we had a strong, effective, direct action policy to reduce emissions," he said.
Mr Abbott's predecessor in the leadership entered the debate on Monday, telling the BBC he still supported an ETS.
"In terms of the principles that I was standing for I think those principles are right - I maintain them today," Mr Turnbull said, adding that an ETS is "the most efficient way" to deal with carbon emissions.
But he said the model of an ETS currently proposed by the Labor government is "likely to be a very extreme, economically damaging model".
Mr Turnbull said he could not honestly say he had "disavowed any desire to hold high office" but believed Mr Abbott would take the coalition to the next election.
Meanwhile, Ms Gillard accused the coalition of making up figures on the cost of the ETS.
She labelled Mr Abbott a "hollow person" and said he was determined to profit politically from her plan to put a fixed price on carbon from July 1 next year.
Ms Gillard said the incoming government brief showed the opposition's proposed measures to tackle climate change would cost each household $600 extra a year.
The climate change department estimated that even with those measures in place emissions would still rise 17 per cent above 2000 levels.
Ms Gillard said the decision by the shadow cabinet to rescind the ETS legislation was the most reckless political position of any national leader in the last 15 years.
Mr Abbott on Monday said that shadow cabinet had approved a policy of rescinding Labor's ETS if the coalition took office.
But the announcement was overshadowed by comments by Mr Turnbull who, in a broad-ranging interview with the BBC, said he still supported an ETS, despite it ending his leadership in 2009.
Another distraction was the revelation by key independent MP Tony Windsor, who said that during talks on forming minority government last year Mr Abbott had "begged" him to deliver power to the coalition.
Mr Abbott, who visited a bus operator in Queanbeyan to highlight the cost of a carbon tax on fuel, said it was a broken election promise by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"Our position on this is the same as our position on the mining tax - we will oppose it in opposition, we will rescind it in government," Mr Abbott said.
One of the keys to the government getting its ETS through parliament, Mr Windsor said he had discussed climate change with Mr Abbott during talks on forming minority government last year.
Mr Windsor said he got the impression that the coalition leader would have supported a carbon price if the policy was put to him during these talks.
"He actually begged for the job ... (he said) `I will do anything to get this job'," Mr Windsor said.
But Mr Abbott told reporters that at no stage did he offer to back an ETS.
"I was absolutely crystal clear ... that we had a strong, effective, direct action policy to reduce emissions," he said.
Mr Abbott's predecessor in the leadership entered the debate on Monday, telling the BBC he still supported an ETS.
"In terms of the principles that I was standing for I think those principles are right - I maintain them today," Mr Turnbull said, adding that an ETS is "the most efficient way" to deal with carbon emissions.
But he said the model of an ETS currently proposed by the Labor government is "likely to be a very extreme, economically damaging model".
Mr Turnbull said he could not honestly say he had "disavowed any desire to hold high office" but believed Mr Abbott would take the coalition to the next election.
Meanwhile, Ms Gillard accused the coalition of making up figures on the cost of the ETS.
She labelled Mr Abbott a "hollow person" and said he was determined to profit politically from her plan to put a fixed price on carbon from July 1 next year.
Ms Gillard said the incoming government brief showed the opposition's proposed measures to tackle climate change would cost each household $600 extra a year.
The climate change department estimated that even with those measures in place emissions would still rise 17 per cent above 2000 levels.
Ms Gillard said the decision by the shadow cabinet to rescind the ETS legislation was the most reckless political position of any national leader in the last 15 years.
