Abbott challenges Rudd to a public debate on the emissions trading scheme
Tony Abbott
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott today called on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to conduct new modelling on his “go-it-alone” emissions trading scheme and have a full and thorough national debate, including at least one public debate with him.
“All of the previous modelling, much of which is 15 months out of date any way, was based on the assumption that other countries would have an emissions trading scheme or something like it.
“After Copenhagen we know that this is not the case.
“New modelling needs to be done to show what the effect of it a ‘go-it-alone’ emissions trading scheme would be on Australian industries and Australian jobs.
“For Mr Rudd to refuse to conduct such modelling would be to let down the ordinary Australian workers who he said he would be Prime Minister for,” Mr Abbott said.
“If we have a ‘go-it-alone’ emissions tax our jobs and our industries will be damaged and the environment will not be helped.
“We saw on the front page of one of Australia’s papers today, the former Labor treasurer of Queensland saying to Mr Rudd ‘don’t do it’.
“The coal industry in this country, our biggest single exporter, cannot survive with it a ‘go it alone’ emissions tax. Now I say to Mr Rudd you owe it to the tens of thousands of people whose jobs depend on the coal industry to think again,” Mr Abbott said.
