Sunday, Carbon Sunday

Read for yourself:
• Australian Goverment’s ‘Clean Energy Package’

• Use the Tasmanian Times News Dropdown (top Nav Bar) for the range of coverage and comment:
• Start with ABC Online HERE
or
• Climate Spectator HERE

Reaction:

• Wilderness Society

PRESS RELEASE
July 10, 2011

Carbon plan good for forests and nature

 Burning native forests no longer renewable energy, under carbon plan

 $948 million over the first six years to support biodiverse carbon stores

The Wilderness Society welcomed key elements of today‟s carbon price plan, particularly those ruling out the burning of native forests to produce „renewable energy‟ and the creation of a $1 billion fund to protect carbon held in nature.

Biomass from native forests will now no longer be counted as renewable energy. This is especially important with the impending approval decisions on proposed biomass power plants at Eden on the New South Wales South Coast and in Western Australia.

National Campaign Director Lyndon Schneiders said, “The Australian Government has finally come to its senses by ruling that turning native forests into a power source is not renewable and should not be supported.”

The Wilderness Society also welcomed that creation of an ongoing biodiversity fund worth $948 million over the first six years to directly support projects that establish, restore, protect or manage biodiverse carbon stores.

“The protection of carbon stocks in nature including through the protection of our forests and woodlands is the easiest way to reduce emissions and we welcome this funding commitment. Common sense at last prevails.”

Recognising the contribution of protecting and restoring our carbon stocks in forests and other native vegetation will help Australia make deeper cuts to its carbon emissions by 2020, and the Wilderness Society welcomes the goal of 80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050.

•Lara Giddings

Commonwealth announcement on carbon price

The Premier, Lara Giddings, today welcomed the Commonwealth’s announcement of plans to place a price on carbon.

Ms Giddings said a properly designed carbon pricing scheme would be good for both the Tasmanian economy and the environment.

“We support an appropriately designed emissions trading scheme, provided it supports three key principles – namely that it provides appropriate assistance to Tasmania’s emissions intensive, trade exposed industries; compensates low income Tasmanians for the higher living costs it brings; and recognise the State’s early move into, and substantial use of, renewable energy,” she said.

“Obviously it’s early days, and it will take us some time to work through the details of the package announced today, to indentify the implications for Tasmania.

“We want to ensure the Commonwealth’s package reflects our key priorities, and that our State benefits both environmentally and economically from the introduction of a price on carbon.

“Given our relatively low emissions per capita, our role as the nation’s renewable energy powerhouse, and the substantial carbon sink we have created through the protection of so many of Tasmania’s forests, we believe Tasmania should benefit from any potential scheme.

“In general, I’m happy to say the Federal Government appears to have listened to us, and we applaud their commitment to supporting those on low incomes.”

Ms Giddings said she expected the Government would have the opportunity to work closely with the Commonwealth to shape the legislation and regulations that will need to be developed now, and to ensure Tasmania benefits from today’s announcement.

•Cassy O’Connor: Power Sharing Government Delivers Historic Climate Deal

The Minister for Climate Change, Cassy O’Connor, today welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement on a carbon price, and said she looked forward to working with her Cabinet and Greens colleagues to understand the implications and maximize the opportunities for Tasmania.

“Today’s announcement in Canberra is the result of many months of good faith negotiations between Labor, the Greens and Independents who have worked together to prove power sharing government can deliver great outcomes.

“Reducing our emissions to a safe level is essential to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for our beautiful island state and for our children’s children into the future,” Ms O’Connor said.

“Tasmania has always supported the introduction of an appropriately designed carbon price scheme in Australia, and work to date has shown that Tasmania should benefit economically from the scheme announced today, although I look forward to examining the detail.

“The Commonwealth carbon package includes a multiple-billion dollar investment in the renewable energy industry, supporting projects from R & D to commercialisation. There is also $2billion set aside to protect biodiversity with a focus on landscape restoration.

“There is significant job potential in today’s announcement for Tasmania and I look forward to working with my Green and Labor colleagues to ensure we maximize all opportunities.

“As Human Services Minister I am very heartened by the Commonwealth’s commitment to return 50% of the revenue generated to support households as we make the transition to a clean energy future.

“Tasmania has legislated for an emissions reduction of at least 60% below 1990 levels by 2050, which requires us to reduce our emissions to 4.54 million tonnes.

“Tasmania’s Wedges Report found that with least-cost national and state level action to reduce emissions Tasmania can reach its emission reduction target by 2050, and a well designed carbon pricing scheme will strengthen and increase this opportunity.

“Tasmania’s emissions are currently at about 25% below 1990 levels, but it is important to recognise that since 2002 there has been a general trend upwards particularly in the key sectors of manufacturing and transport.

“We have a critical task ahead of us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable level for Tasmania, and for our planet and I look forward to working through the details of this newly proposed scheme.

“I would like to thank the work of the multi-party climate change committee and Professor Ross Garnaut in creating the framework for Australia’s clean energy future as we work to reduce our national emissions to 80% below 1990 by 2050.

“As a Greens’ Minister, I am so proud of the role our Green Senators, Bob Brown and Christine Milne and their staff played in reaching this historic agreement to begin future-proofing Australia.

“Today’s announcement is a win for the country and for power-sharing government.

“In tune with developments at the national level, the Tasmanian Government has now considered the findings from the Tasmanian Wedges Report and the Tasmanian Climate Action Council’s recommendations, and I look forward to taking a proposal to Cabinet in the coming weeks.”

• Tony Abbott: Julia Gillard’s unnecessary and costly $9 billion tax will hit families

The Labor-Green carbon tax will drive up prices, threaten jobs and do nothing for the environment.

Australians will pay more for everything under Julia Gillard’s carbon tax – the biggest and most punitive carbon tax in the world.

Australia’s forgotten families are already struggling and the carbon tax will make a bad situation worse with a $515 a year hit on their cost of living. And that’s just for starters.

The carbon tax means:

· a $9 billion a year new tax.
· a 10% hike in electricity bills in the first year alone. And that’s just for starters.
· a 9% percent hike in gas bills in the first year alone. And that’s just for starters.
· higher marginal tax rates for low and middle income earners.
· a $4.3 billion hit on the budget bottom line.

Millions of middle income families will be worse off under Julia Gillard’s carbon tax.

For example, a policeman and a nurse each earning $70,000 a year with one dependent child will be on average $230 a year worse off even after compensation. And that’s just for starters.

Should this couple do some extra shifts and each earn an extra $5,000 a year, that bill will increase to $528.

These parents, trying to get ahead and provide for their families, will be penalised by Julia Gillard’s carbon tax.

There are three certainties under this Government – it always taxes, it always wastes, and it always deceives.

The carbon tax means higher marginal tax rates for low and middle income earners – penalising hard work and reducing incentive.

This is the first series of increases in marginal tax rates since the 1980s. The 15% tax rate will rise to 19% and the 30% rate will increase to 33%.

The carbon tax is the first so-called “economic reform” in modern Australian history to increase marginal tax rates.

The carbon tax is not revenue neutral – another Labor broken promise. This means a bigger deficit this year, higher debt, more taxes, smaller forecast surpluses in the future and greater pressure on interest rates.

Julia Gillard has betrayed the Australian people.

Six days prior to the last election, she said “there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead”. The day before the election she said: “I rule out a carbon tax”.

The Australian people deserve a say on the carbon tax. It should not be introduced before the next election.

This go-it-alone carbon tax will also impose a heavy cost on Australian industries that their overseas competitors will not face. Australian jobs will be sent offshore for no environmental gain.

It will push up the price of electricity, gas, transport and food. Airfares will increase because the tax applies to aviation fuels. And freight transport is only exempt until after the next election.

Australia’s over two million small businesses will face increased costs, with no direct support.

Regional Australia will be hit hardest by the carbon tax. Most of the jobs in our mining, manufacturing and electricity generation sectors are based outside our capital cities. Under the carbon tax the gap between city and country will just get bigger.

When Julia Gillard talks about a “clean energy future” what she really means is higher electricity bills and fewer jobs with no environmental benefit.

The whole point of a carbon tax is to change the way everybody lives and works. And that’s why every year it will go up and up and up.

In other words, if it doesn’t hurt you it doesn’t work.

The design of the tax is a quagmire of complexity and you cannot trust this Government to get it right. It is a massive and permanent increase in the size of government, and includes a $10 billion Gillard Bank to finance high risk, speculative projects.

In the first four years alone, $382 million will be spent to manage this massive money-go-round.

The Gillard Government is the most incompetent government in Australia’s history. Having mishandled roof batts, border protection, Building the Education Revolution and the live cattle industry, this Government cannot be trusted with a $9 billion new tax.

There is a better way. The Coalition’s Direct Action plan is a strong and effective policy that will reduce carbon emissions by 5% by 2020 without a new tax.

Our Direct Action plan is costed, capped and fully funded from savings to the budget.

Direct Action means no costs to households, no new taxes, and no increase in electricity prices as a result of the policy.

The Coalition believes Australia has a great future. We want to rebuild hope, reward and opportunity for all Australians.

Our commitment to the Australian people is that we will do everything in our power to fight this toxic tax.

We will oppose it in opposition and rescind it in government.

Phill Pullinger

Price on carbon pollution welcomed

“It is an important step forward that Australia will now act on climate change through a price on carbon pollution,” said Dr Phill Pullinger, Director of Environment Tasmania,

“Tackling climate change is the challenge of our generation, and this is a critical starting point for tougher action in the coming years,” he said,

Tasmanian environment groups have been keenly looking for the potential implications of today’s carbon announcement on the protection of Tasmania’s native forests and landscapes;

“It is a critical breakthrough that the burning of native forests has been ruled out as a potential renewable energy source – as this would have been a perverse incentive for logging native forests,”

“The $948 million biodiversity fund and the carbon farming initiative will also provide significant opportunities for funding to help protect and manage native forests and natural ecosystems on public and private land in Tasmania,”

“We congratulate the government, Greens and independents for delivering a big step forward in Australia’s responsibility to play a strong role in the global fight against climate change,” he concluded.

Dr Phill Pullinger
Director
Environment Tasmania
The Conservation Council

Nick McKim

FEDERAL CARBON PACKAGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TASMANIA
Congratulations to Federal Greens for Constructive Role
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader

The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the release of the Federal government’s Carbon package, describing it as a historic reform in response to the greatest public policy challenge facing the world.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said the announcement confirmed major opportunities for Tasmania, particularly in renewable energy, with a $10 billion investment into one of the State’s strengths, as well as $1.7 billion into biodiversity protection and support for the agriculture sector.

Mr McKim congratulated Greens’ Senators Bob Brown and Christine Milne, as well as MHR Adam Bandt for their constructive role in sealing this historic agreement.

“Tasmania can expect job creation in sectors where we are historically strong and which can thrive in a low carbon economy,” Mr McKim said.

“Tasmania’s current economic transition to a sustainable and low carbon economy will receive a strong boost from the Federal carbon package, and it means that we are already well positioned to maximise the economic and energy efficiency benefits.”

“Now there is a price on carbon our historic expertise in renewable energy will be a significant competitive advantage.”

“We are also in a strong position to capitalise on the support for farmers and biodiversity protection.”

“Burning native forests not being eligible to count for renewable energy is also significant for the historic Tasmanian Forests Principles process, as it makes the industry transition to a viable footing all the more necessary by placing a different value on our unique forest estate.”

Richard Colbeck

MEDIA RELEASE
Sunday July 10, 2011

Labor’s $9 billion tax will hurt Tasmanian families and businesses

The Labor/Greens carbon tax will drive up prices, threaten jobs and do nothing for the environment.

“Tasmanian families are already struggling and the carbon tax will make a bad situation worse with a $515-a-year hit on their cost of living, just to be begin with,” Senator Richard Colbeck said today on behalf of the Tasmanian Liberal Senate Team.

“Tasmania will pay more for everything because of Labor and the Greens’ carbon tax.”

The Labor/Greens carbon tax means:
 a $9 billion a year new tax.
 a 10% hike in electricity bills in the first year alone.
 a 9% percent hike in gas bills in the first year alone.
 higher marginal tax rates for low and middle income earners.
 a $4.3 billion hit on the budget bottom line.

“Tasmania’s middle income families will be worse off under Julia Gillard’s carbon tax. For example, a couple earning $70,000 each with one dependent child on average will be $230 worse off. And the harder they work, the more they will be penalised. If they were earning $75,000 each, their bills will increase to $528.

“Tasmanian farmers will be hit with thousands of dollars of additional costs over the first few years of the tax being implemented. Our manufacturing hubs and small and medium-sized businesses also face escalating additional costs and this will lead to higher prices for everyday household items.

“You cannot trust Julia Gillard when she says household bills will only rise by a few dollars and cents.

“Julia Gillard has betrayed the Australian people before. Six days prior to the last election, she said ‘there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead’. The day before the election she said ‘I rule out a carbon tax’.

“Ms Gillard has today announced the biggest and most punitive carbon tax in the world. Her word cannot be trusted.

“The Coalition’s commitment to the Australian people is that we will do everything in our power to fight this tax. The Coalition will oppose the carbon tax in opposition and rescind it in government,” Senator Colbeck said.