THE Rudd government has shelved its emissions trading scheme for at least three years in a bid to defuse Tony Abbott's "great big new tax" attack in this year's election campaign.
The cabinet's strategic priorities and budget committee has removed the scheme from the four-year forward estimates, a decision that saves $2.5 billion because household and industry compensation would have exceeded the revenue generated by the scheme in its early years.
The Herald understands the government has decided not to start the scheme before 2013 at the earliest, hoping that by then it will have gained support from the Coalition and international efforts to combat climate change will have become clearer.
Meanwhile back in New Zealand, plans to introduce our own ETS proceed at breakneck speed. We reckon that it's time now to pull the pin - while we still can.
So how about it Mr Key? In most other regards we support the government you lead. But we reckon that you and Nick Smith have got this one wrong. Why the haste? Surely, now that Australia has deferred its scheme, we should do likewise. We say this because you were dead right in 2008 with the comment we've reproduced below.
Mr Key - please don't let this be the issue which undermines your government - please!
3 comments:
Don't forget Kyoto - we should be out of there too.
I agree wholeheartedly. While we are borrowing 240 milion a week we should not be implementing any measures which will add to the pressure currently on the economy and the government books. Delaying the start of the ETS until at least 2013, while actively advocating for a multinational sign up date ( with all of our major trading partners), will not leave us hanging out to dry economically with an unsustainable scheme that only we have implemented
Quite so Anton. One may be able to advance an argument in favour of the ETS if the economy was robust. But it's not. SME's are still hurting from the recession, and added cost burdens will do nothing to add to their continued viability.
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