Carbon Scheme “polls Say No”

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says the government’s planned emissions trading scheme will be designed for long-term national economic benefit not short-term polls.
Senator Wong said the government was conscious of the impact such a scheme would have.
“We are designing it for the long term economic future of the country,” she told ABC radio.
“There is no easy road map on this policy reform and we recognise as a government that there is a lot of discussion within the community, a lot of dialogue with the Australian people that needs to take place as we move forward.

The government’s climate change adviser Ross Garnaut releases his final report on Friday. The government will prepare a green paper, canvassing options for an emissions trading scheme it plans to have in operation by 2010.

Senator Wong said the green paper would set out the issues and range of options.
She said in February she outlined principles of the way the government would approach this climate change policy.

“We said that in designing the emissions trading scheme, we would take account of three sectors.”

Senator Wong said the first sector was households, with the government committed to ensuring any measures imposed would address the impact of a carbon price on families.
The two others are emissions intensive businesses trading on world markets and power generators which faced a potential impact on their asset value.

“The government is very conscious of the impact on these sectors. We have had a great deal of consultation with these businesses and we will continue to do so in the coming months,” she said.