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Moving swiftly to introduce an effective carbon price is critical to prevent the climate crisis, provide certainty to investors and consumers and deliver political stability, the Australian Greens said Tuesday.
The comments come after the Sydney Morning Herald published details of the government’s thinking on preparing for a carbon price.
“I am very pleased that the government is positioning itself to adopt the Greens’ timeline to legislate a carbon price to come into effect as soon as possible, not post-2013 as was their position at the election,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
“Regardless of whether or not the government’s decision is driven by political motivations rather than social, environmental and economic considerations, the final outcome of a swift process towards a carbon price will bring benefits across all the areas.
“The Greens have made no secret of the fact that we want to see a carbon price introduced as soon as possible.
“Uncertainty in the energy sector is driving electricity prices higher, causing pain to Australians struggling to make ends meet.
“We need to send a very clear signal that all energy investment in Australia from now on must work to prevent climate crisis not make it worse and a strong, effective carbon price introduced as soon as possible is part of that signal.
“I note that Minister Combet, in a speech this morning, is harking back to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. He would be better to leave it dead, buried and cremated as it was what Professor Garnaut called ‘one of the worst examples of policy making we have seen on major issues in Australia’.
“The CPRS would have sent a signal to the energy sector in Australia that they did not have to change a thing and could continue investing in polluting infrastructure – something that would have been a recipe for disaster.
“The new multi-party climate committee, established as part of the agreement by the Greens to support the Gillard government, will return to a principled process and I look forward to a principled outcome as soon as possible.”