May 26, 2009
The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester says it would be reckless and irresponsible for Australia to introduce an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) without a global agreement.
Mr Chester is supporting the Coalition’s practical approach to delaying consideration of the proposed ETS until after the world’s largest countries finalise their targets and legislation.
With legislation before Federal Parliament, Mr Chester said there were enormous social and economic risks associated with the Rudd Government’s ETS and the claimed environmental benefits were questionable.
“I’ve said all along that the big risk with Kevin Rudd’s ETS is that it will cost jobs in regional areas like Gippsland and Latrobe Valley; it will drive future business investment overseas; and it has the potential to transfer carbon emissions to other nations which have less rigorous environmental standards,” Mr Chester said.
“Now that Mr Rudd has agreed to defer the introduction of his scheme until 2011 – common sense demands that we should defer consideration of the legislation until we see what emerges from the plans by countries such as the United States and China which contribute a large amount to total global emissions.
“The world community will meet in Copenhagen within six months to discuss this issue and it is prudent to wait and see the outcomes of those negotiations. The current legislation before the Parliament is deeply flawed and if the government won’t agree to delay the scheme and get it right, I will be voting against it.”
Mr Chester said The Nationals and Liberal Party in Coalition had put forward a proposal that would see debate on the legislation deferred until after the Copenhagen meeting. The Coalition has also proposed the establishment of a voluntary carbon market in 2010 and an independent inquiry by the Productivity Commission.
“Referring the legislation to the Productivity Commission would allow an opportunity for a full assessment of the impact the Rudd Government’s ETS would have on individual industry jobs and regional areas like Gippsland,” Mr Chester said.
“The government has to be honest with the community and expose the full costs of this scheme in terms of job losses and costs to industry, as well as the limited environmental outcomes. I’m a strong supporter of practical environmental projects but I fear that this ETS legislation will cost jobs, disadvantage regional areas and have little impact on the environment without agreement from larger countries across the globe.”