PM not keen to play ball on ETS

Malcolm Turnbull hoped that by suggesting the coalition might support Labor's
emissions trading scheme he'd be putting the ball back in the prime minister's
court.
But Kevin Rudd said on Saturday he wasn't playing Mr Turnbull's game, and instead
demanded the Liberals "get out of the road".
In a major policy development on Friday, Mr Turnbull released a list of nine demands
and indicated the coalition would pass the ETS if the changes were agreed to. A vote
in the Senate is scheduled for August 13.
"The ball is now in Mr Rudd's court," Mr Turnbull said.
But that's not how the prime minister saw it.
The coalition's log of claims was little more than a "shopping list" and Mr Turnbull
should put up or shut up, Mr Rudd said.
"The challenge for Mr Turnbull is to present the government with an agreed set of
amendments, with his party, which we could then consider," he told reporters in
Hobart.
"The nation needs decisive leadership on climate change and it's time for the
Liberals to get out of the road so the nation can make its contribution."
Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce has made it clear he won't be supporting the
government's emissions trading scheme no matter what.
On Saturday the opposition leader admitted it was unlikely he'd be able to convince
every member of the coalition to support an amended ETS.
"We're not seeking unanimity, we're seeking consensus," Mr Turnbull told ABC Radio.
"We're seeking the support of the majority and I'm confident that we will secure
(it), if the government is prepared to address these issues in an effective way."
Mr Turnbull's list of demands would be a big win for heavy polluters, coal mines and
farmers. It would shift more of the burden of cutting greenhouse pollution onto the
rest of the economy, including households.
The scheme would also have to offer the same protection to industries and workers as
the yet-to-be-finalised United States emissions trading scheme.
The Climate Institute says that would be a disaster.
"Right now it is arguable whether the US legislation is tougher or easier on big
polluters than Australia's, but we shouldn't be outsourcing Australian policy design
to a handful of influential senators from the US mid-west," institute chief
executive John Connor said in a statement.
"Nor should we be handcuffing our clean energy and low carbon industry development
to big polluters in the US."
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has questioned the timing of Mr Turnbull's policy
shift.
"After over a year of this issue being discussed in detail Mr Turnbull has finally
come forward with nothing more than a shopping list," she said.
"He needs to do better."
On Friday, senior Liberal Tony Abbott backed his leader, saying although the Rudd
government's proposed legislation was flawed the opposition should pass it to avoid
a possible double-dissolution election and "a fight it can't win".