Palmer Follows Turnbull’s lead on ETS

Federal Member for Fairfax

Media release

The federal leader of the Palmer United Party and Member for Fairfax, Clive Palmer, is following Malcolm Turnbull’s lead on supporting market based mechanisms to reduce emissions.

Mr Palmer said he agreed with the Coalition frontbenchers’ characterisation of his own party’s climate change policy as “short term” and would vote in favour of a new Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

Mr Palmer has met with former United States Vice-President Al Gore in Canberra to discuss policy issues relating to carbon and global warming.

“Vice-President Gore is a great leader and he has certainly further convinced me of the need for the whole world to work together,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“In voting against the abolition of the Climate Change authority, Palmer United Party senators will move an amendment to that legislation to establish a new Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

The Climate Change Authority will be charged with drafting a new ETS based on the existing model but that would not start until certain conditions had been met. They would report to parliament and the relevant minister would be required to bring the scheme into law

“The scheme will have a zero carbon price and the government will eventually have the ability to set the financial parameters of the scheme depending on the actions of Australia’s leading trading partners such as China, the United States, the European Union, Japan and Korea.

“The Abbott Government has got it wrong with Direct Action, which is an ineffective policy and a waste of money at a time when families, pensioners, young Australians, stay at home mums, single parents and our indigenous communities are facing unfair measures in the Budget,’’ he said.

Mr Palmer said the Palmer United Party, which will hold the balance of power from July 1, will move amendments on climate legislation relating to the ETS and the Carbon Tax.

“True to our promises to the Australian people at the last election, Palmer United Party senators will vote in the Senate to abolish the carbon tax,” he said.

However on the ETS, he said Palmer United Party senators would move an amendment to provide for the establishment of a new scheme which will only become effective once Australia’s main trading partners also took action to establish one.

“In understanding climate change, we must remain ever vigilant and be aware of how Australia as part of the international community is doing and, more importantly, what the global community can do together to make the lives of all those who inhabit the world more secure.”

Ends