A new poll shows that while a majority of voters want Australia’s fixed carbon price gone, only very limited numbers support the conservative Liberal-National government’s alternative plan.
As the Labor opposition tries to exploit voter uncertainty about the Liberal-National Direct Action climate change plan, it faces growing pressure to support the repeal of the carbon price laws it introduced while in government.
AAP Newsagency reports a new Fairfax-Nielsen poll of 1400 voters shows 57 per cent of people want the current carbon price scheme abolished, giving fresh momentum to the Liberal-National government’s claim that it’s executing the will of the Australian people.
However, the same poll shows voters prefer the fixed price Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) over the prime minister Tony Abbott’s alternative policy, with just 12 per cent backing Direct Action.
The poll results came as a leading business group raised concerns about Direct Action, which promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions by paying for activities such as planting trees and improving soil carbon.
The government has called for public input to design its $1.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), the principle mechanism by which it plans to reduce emissions by five per cent by 2020.
In its submission, the Australian Industry Group (AiGroup) complained that the consultation period for developing the ERF was too short, and doesn’t allow the time for careful consideration.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt wants the ERF to reduce emissions domestically, but his proposed reverse auction approach of letting companies compete for abatement funding has also been criticised.
Assistant Treasurer Steve Ciobo said the government’s number one priority remained scrapping the carbon price, and it was clear the public supported this policy agenda.
AAP reports Mr Abbott has also ratcheted up his pressure on Labor, led by Bill Shorten, to listen to voters, releasing a video at the weekend calling for the carbon price to be pushed through the upper house Senate by Christmas.
This is unlikely as both Labor and the Australian Greens Party want the proposals examined by Senate committees and this is expected to take until well into next year.
Labor frontbencher Bernie Ripoll said the opposition also wanted the fixed carbon price scrapped, but instead they wanted a market based ETS put in its place.
“It’s either Tony Abbott’s Direct Action, which is just a direct tax, or what we’re proposing, which is an emissions trading scheme, and that’s what the majority of people actually do support,” he told Sky News today.
The carbonprice repeal laws will be debated in the Senate when parliament resumes on December 2, but it’s highly unlikely at this stage that Labor will support the legislation.
