2010/09/07

(BN) Australian Greens Seek ‘Fast, Furious’ Climate Steps (Update1)

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Australian Greens Seek 'Fast, Furious' Climate Steps (Update1)
2010-09-07 07:58:44.265 GMT


(Updates with Gillard retaining power in second paragraph.)

By James Paton
Sept. 7 (Bloomberg) -- The Australian Greens plan "fast
and furious" action to establish a climate change committee and
impose a price on carbon emissions under a government led by the
Labor Party's Julia Gillard.
"This is the best political opportunity collectively we've
ever had," Christine Milne, deputy leader of the Greens Party,
said in Sydney today before Gillard won the support needed to
form a government. With Labor retaining power, "this committee
will be on track fast and furious," Milne said.
Two independent lawmakers, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor,
backed Gillard's minority government after the closest election
in 70 years left neither of the main parties with a majority.
Gillard, 48, gained support last week from the Greens and agreed
in exchange to establish a climate change committee made up of
lawmakers and scientists with the aim of setting a penalty for
carbon emissions.
The forum's goal is to determine the best way to introduce
a carbon price, not to "decide whether climate change is
real," Milne said. Australia will be able to implement a
carbon price with Gillard as prime minister, Milne said. "I
would like that as soon as possible."
Lawmakers plan to decide by the end of this month on how
many members the climate committee will have and how it will
work, she said. "We've had the debate about whether we need a
carbon price and in my view there is a consensus by anyone who
understands it," she said. "What we haven't had a proper
debate about is how best to deliver it."

'Completely Inappropriate'

The Labor-Green proposal of a climate change committee
composed only of people who back a carbon price is "completely
inappropriate," Australian opposition environment spokesman
Greg Hunt told reporters earlier today at the conference.
"I don't believe parliament has ever, or should ever, have
a committee where there is a belief test as a prerequisite," he
said. "Parliament should be a place for free thought."
Both Gillard's Labor Party and Tony Abbott's Liberal-
National coalition targeted a 5 percent cut in emissions by 2020.
While the Labor Party delayed plans to introduce an emissions
trading system until after 2012, Abbott opposed a carbon price.
Neither party won the 76 seats in the Aug. 21 election needed to
form a government.
Abbott advocated a fund to encourage businesses and farmers
to curb carbon emissions and a 15,000-strong "green army" to
repair environmental damage.

'Contested Ground'

Hunt today reiterated support for the A$2.55 billion ($2.3
billion) emissions reduction fund, saying it would provide
certainty compared with the lack of clarity of when emissions
trading would begin.
While there is "common ground" surrounding Australia's
target of generating 20 percent of its energy from renewable
sources by 2020, there will continue to be "contested ground"
over how to tackle climate issues, Hunt said.
Windsor, who has a farm in his northern New South Wales
electorate of New England, said today there are "enormous
opportunities" for rural Australia to benefit from
developing renewable energy sources.


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--Editors: John Viljoen, Ryan Woo.

To contact the reporter on this story:
James Paton in Sydney at +61-2-9777-8698 or
jpaton4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Amit Prakash at +65-6212-1167 or aprakash1@bloomberg.net.