ID :
176480
Tue, 04/19/2011 - 14:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/176480
The shortlink copeid
Carbon price will create jobs: Gillard
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised the carbon price will create more jobs, as industry leaders and unions step up concerns mining and manufacturing positions will be lost.
Ahead of a trip to China, where she will discuss climate change and trade issues, Ms Gillard met in Canberra on Tuesday with the multi-party committee set up to determine how to price carbon.
Industry chiefs also met with Climate Change Minister Greg Combet to raise concerns about potential job losses, especially in steel making and mining, to countries that do not have a carbon tax.
"We are willing to pay a cost when we're able to play on an even field with our competitors," OneSteel chief Geoff Plummer said.
Unions and the federal opposition have also raised concerns about the future of industrial towns if local companies are disadvantaged.
Visiting Western Australia's Pilbara mining region, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on Tuesday said: "There isn't a state that wouldn't lose important manufacturing and industrial centres if the carbon tax goes ahead".
But Ms Gillard said such claims were "inflammatory".
"We can certainly work with industries to transition to a clean-energy economy and in that clean-energy economy there will be more jobs," Ms Gillard told ABC television.
"We are seeing in the newspapers some inflammatory claims. But out in the real world there is BHP announcing a new investment worth more than $40 billion ... I've been to a coal-fired power station which is going to have a solar boost project, manufactured locally.
"When people look at those sorts of economic opportunities ... perhaps some of the fear-mongering will fall away."
Ms Gillard said she was keen to understand how China intended to meet its emissions targets, but she was determined Australia would achieve its target of a five per cent cut by 2020 in the cheapest way possible.
The multi-party climate change committee received reports from consultation with business and the community sector, as well as discussed household assistance to cover price rises.
Mr Combet said the government proposed protecting the steel industry from about 95 per cent of its potential carbon liability, which would mean a bill of about $2.60 a tonne of steel for manufacturers.
But he acknowledged the rising cost of raw material and the strong Australian dollar were also affecting companies.
"The government is listening carefully to what the industry and the unions are having to say about it," Mr Combet said.
Australian Greens deputy leader Christine Milne said care was needed to ensure compensation wasn't given on the basis of changes in profit margins.
"The job here is to assess the level of trade exposure and address that," Senator Milne said after the meeting.
Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb said the government could do more for global emissions by boosting uranium exports for nuclear power.
Boosting uranium exports from the current 10,000 tonnes a year to 37,000 tonnes by 2030 could avoid 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon pollution a year, Mr Robb said.
"This would also add up to $17 billion net present value of export dollars to our economy between now and 2030," Mr Robb said.
Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday named a new working group which will meet in early May to look at the opportunities for the land sector under a carbon price.
While agricultural emissions won't be in the carbon price mechanism, farms play a role in abatement.
Ahead of a trip to China, where she will discuss climate change and trade issues, Ms Gillard met in Canberra on Tuesday with the multi-party committee set up to determine how to price carbon.
Industry chiefs also met with Climate Change Minister Greg Combet to raise concerns about potential job losses, especially in steel making and mining, to countries that do not have a carbon tax.
"We are willing to pay a cost when we're able to play on an even field with our competitors," OneSteel chief Geoff Plummer said.
Unions and the federal opposition have also raised concerns about the future of industrial towns if local companies are disadvantaged.
Visiting Western Australia's Pilbara mining region, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on Tuesday said: "There isn't a state that wouldn't lose important manufacturing and industrial centres if the carbon tax goes ahead".
But Ms Gillard said such claims were "inflammatory".
"We can certainly work with industries to transition to a clean-energy economy and in that clean-energy economy there will be more jobs," Ms Gillard told ABC television.
"We are seeing in the newspapers some inflammatory claims. But out in the real world there is BHP announcing a new investment worth more than $40 billion ... I've been to a coal-fired power station which is going to have a solar boost project, manufactured locally.
"When people look at those sorts of economic opportunities ... perhaps some of the fear-mongering will fall away."
Ms Gillard said she was keen to understand how China intended to meet its emissions targets, but she was determined Australia would achieve its target of a five per cent cut by 2020 in the cheapest way possible.
The multi-party climate change committee received reports from consultation with business and the community sector, as well as discussed household assistance to cover price rises.
Mr Combet said the government proposed protecting the steel industry from about 95 per cent of its potential carbon liability, which would mean a bill of about $2.60 a tonne of steel for manufacturers.
But he acknowledged the rising cost of raw material and the strong Australian dollar were also affecting companies.
"The government is listening carefully to what the industry and the unions are having to say about it," Mr Combet said.
Australian Greens deputy leader Christine Milne said care was needed to ensure compensation wasn't given on the basis of changes in profit margins.
"The job here is to assess the level of trade exposure and address that," Senator Milne said after the meeting.
Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb said the government could do more for global emissions by boosting uranium exports for nuclear power.
Boosting uranium exports from the current 10,000 tonnes a year to 37,000 tonnes by 2030 could avoid 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon pollution a year, Mr Robb said.
"This would also add up to $17 billion net present value of export dollars to our economy between now and 2030," Mr Robb said.
Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday named a new working group which will meet in early May to look at the opportunities for the land sector under a carbon price.
While agricultural emissions won't be in the carbon price mechanism, farms play a role in abatement.
