PM slams Libs over climate change stance

Kevin Rudd has accused the coalition of "magic pudding politics" over its rejection
of an emissions trading scheme which global consensus sees as the right policy for
tackling climate change.
The prime minister, who returned from the United States early on Thursday after a
meeting with US President Barack Obama, slammed the opposition for reneging on a
deal to pass Labor's emissions trading scheme.
"The decision ... was a vote for climate change denial," he told reporters.
"Refusing to act on climate change is economically irresponsible. It's also risky
for our kids and for their future."
Mr Rudd, speaking while touring a primary school in Canberra's south, said there was
a consensus among much of the developed world that an emissions trading scheme was
the right model for dealing with climate change.
"It seems that the Liberal Party are now saying they don't want an emissions trading
scheme at all which would put them into a more extreme position than Mr Howard."
Former prime minister John Howard took an emissions trading scheme to the 2007
election and Malcolm Turnbull - ousted as Liberal leader on Tuesday - also supports
such a scheme.
But Tony Abbott, on his first full day as opposition leader on Wednesday, said the
coalition would not be taking an emissions trading scheme to the next election.
Mr Rudd said there was virtual consensus in developed countries that the best, most
responsible way of bringing down greenhouse gas emissions was through an emissions
trading scheme.
"It's the view in the United States, it's the view in Europe as well, and elsewhere
including in Japan.
"For the Liberals now to say that there is a magic pudding solution on climate
change, that somehow if you throw a bit of fairy dust at it and say that 'bang it
all happens' without any adjustment challenges, I don't think that's being fair
dinkum."
Mr Rudd again ruled out going to an early election on the issue, despite the
Senate's rejection of his legislation giving the government a double dissolution
trigger.
"What I've said all along is that I believe governments should serve their full
term. That's always been our intention."
Reintroducing legislation in February would give "cooler heads, calmer heads" in the
Liberal Party time to prevail.
Mr Rudd had further talks, via a video conference, with other world leaders on
Thursday morning ahead of a United Nations climate summit which begins in Copenhagen
next week.
They included Danish Prime Minister and Copenhagen chairman Lars Rasmussen, as well
as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
But Mr Rudd was less than optimistic about a global pact on reducing carbon
emissions being reached at the talks.
"Nothing is guaranteed, the obstacles are formidable," he said.