Boswell says Labor is likely to cave in to the Greens’ radical ETS demands
Senator Boswell
“The Greens’ anti-jobs and anti-business agenda outlined today points to the deals they will seek to negotiate with Labor in return for future electoral and Senate support,” said The Nationals’ Senator Ron Boswell today on the release of the Greens’ Safe Climate Bill package.
“If an ETS is passed, the Greens will try to amend it in the Senate to change the levers such as emission targets and compensation to industry. There is no certainty that the ETS would remain fixed as originally passed.
“Labor will concede more and more of its original ETS in an effort to secure Green preferences and their vote in the Senate on future issues.
“Once an ETS is established, it will fall prey to power negotiations between Labor and the Greens. The ETS would soon change out of recognition.
“The Greens today have called for a net zero carbon economy cutting emissions to at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2020.
“The Greens would auction all permits, allow no reductions in fuel excise and no compensation to electricity generators or business for loss of profits.
“Electric trains would replace planes which would be difficult especially as the electricity sector would have crashed early on in the Greens’ scheme.
“The fringe benefits concession for work cars would be abolished and replaced with public transport FBT. What an incentive in a salary package that would be.
“The Greens also plan to end fuel tax credits for mining.”
Senator Boswell warned that these measures would cripple the economy and cost hundreds of thousands of jobs while removing capacity to reduce emissions and invest in cleaner technology.
“The Greens’ so-called safe climate bill is an extreme Green recipe for economic disaster. There is nothing ‘safe’ about it.
“Businesses that encourage passage of the ETS should pause and think what will happen once any ETS framework is passed and Labor needs Green support for Senate votes and electoral preferences.
“All the hard won and second best offers of limited compensation or relief to industry will be the first green casualties.”
