11-December-2008
Portfolio Media Releases, Emissions Trading Scheme
GLEN BARTHOLOMEW: The Opposition’s climate change spokesman Andrew Robb has told Lyndal Curtis that the global financial crisis may be reason enough to further delaying the emissions trading scheme.
ANDREW ROBB: Well the trouble with all this sort of early assessment is that no one knows what the Government’s got in mind. They put out a Green Paper which was very vague in the extreme, there’s been many private consultations with industry. The White Paper’s coming out next week and as a Coalition we’re not going to announce a position on the Government scheme before the Government brings down a scheme.
LYNDAL CURTIS: You have announced a position and had some debate about the position of having 2011 or 2012 as your timetable, is that moveable if the country is still in economic trouble?
ANDREW ROBB: Well we said quite clearly in a statement in July from the party room, that an emissions trading scheme should commence when its ready and in orderly, methodical and responsible manner. And not before 2011, probably by 2012 but when it enjoys the broad support of the Australian industry and protects vulnerable Australian households. Now, that means that we, all things being equal we saw 2012.
LYNDAL CURTIS: Do you think the financial crisis will dent, will harm any public support for an ETS?
ANDREW ROBB: Well if it flows through, as we expect, as it predicated to the real economy, it will be a factor that needs to be properly considered and as I said earlier we have been saying now for several months, that to rush into the scheme without knowing the impact of the global financial meltdown would be reckless in the extreme and that is one of the things that we will measure the Government scheme against. What impact will it have on the real economy, what will it do to jobs, what will it do to people’s financial circumstances, and does it mean that the Government scheme should be delayed? 2010 looks ridiculous at this stage.
LYNDAL CURTIS: If the public support is slipping, if the financial crisis is still going, is there a possibility that even your proposed timetable of 2011 or 2012 could be too soon.
ANDREW ROBB: Well we have said that any commencement date must be considered in a methodical and responsible manner.
LYNDAL CURTIS: So you are willing to consider a later timetable if the circumstances require it?
ANDREW ROBB: We have already said some months ago that it would probably mean by 2012, certainly not before 2011 but probably 2012 but subject to always, if there’s a meltdown in our economy well clearly it influences not just emissions trading but all sorts of other issues across the economy and any responsible Government or Opposition must take those things into account.
Media Contact: Stuart Eaton, 0433 298 620