Wed, 2nd July 2008
Don't sideline energy needs in emissions trading
Senator the Hon David Johnston
Shadow Minister for Resources and Energy, Tourism
Professor Garnaut is due to release his draft report on climate change this Friday and the Rudd Government still does not have a clue how they will implement his recommendations.
Shadow Resources and Energy Minister David Johnston said the Prime Minister states on one hand, that some revenue derived from the ETS will go straight back into Treasury coffers and the Treasurer says that it will all be used to assist those in need.
“Who knows? Obviously the Government doesn’t,” Senator Johnston said.
“What is even more concerning is that they have had a number of meetings, including key meetings last week, when the most important person in the development of their position wasn’t even there,” he said.
The Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism was overseas on government business when the meetings were being held.
“This is in spite of the fact that the greatest impact of any ETS will be on the price of electricity and petrol – no wonder business across Australia are fearful of the detail and the timetable of the scheme.”
Senator Johnston said the ETS is an issue so critical that if Labor gets it wrong there will be an economic meltdown and a good chance that the lights will be turned off on in Eastern Australia come the day the Emissions Trading Scheme is introduced.
“I have had many discussions with energy providers and they are all telling me the same thing. If Prime Minister Rudd and Minister Wong press on regardless without carefully working out how the coal fired power stations, that supply just about all of Eastern Australia’s electricity, can be assisted in the introduction of an ETS then they are likely to go out of business and the switch will be flicked to off.”
The Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism is the one likely to be across these issues and it defies logic to not have him at these crucial meetings.
“In light of record fuel prices they are playing a dangerous game if they think they can ignore the energy industry when working on the details of an ETS.”