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Carbon futures

Neos Kosmos explores the reaction to the Federal Government’s carbon tax announcement and asks whose plan for a greener Australia should we back?

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Carbon futures
21 Jul 2011
Mike Sweet

SM: “General manufacturing and the transport sector. As an example, from 2014, if you’re a farmer it’ll be more expensive to get your goods to the port. This is a tariff on Australian industry and it gives [foreign] importers a leg up. We’re seeing extreme anxiety from both large and small companies. In anticipation of the carbon tax, businesses I spoke to were telling me about how they were experiencing a slow-down of activity and closures. The PM has refused to listen to these concerns. I asked her in parliament, ‘what do you say to manufacturers who tell me they’re doing it tough? How are they going to deal with the carbon tax?’ She answered with a laugh and a giggle, ‘oh they’ll survive. They’ll innovate like they always have.’ She actually hasn’t been out to these places.”

NK: If it’s not a carbon tax, what’s the Coalition’s answer for reducing Australia’s carbon emissions?

SM: “The Coalition has a ‘direct action’ plan. The plan involves encouraging the uptake of new technology, planting more trees, being smart about it. Just look at the Coalition’s record in government of [implementing] environmental initiatives. As a mother and as a Member of Parliament I want a bright future for this country.”

As the carbon tax debate grows ever more heated, claims and counter claims are made, political careers are on the line; meanwhile the chemical transformation of the world due to the effects of greenhouse emissions continue, for most of us, silently and imperceptibly. For now.

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Comments

Are you for real? This is balanced journalism? Why is madame Mirabella permitted to be political and to avoid all of the scientific proof raised by the good doctor? Is it because you know yourself that she has NO answer to the science and the economics and that her party's policies WILL fail?
Submitted by atkenos on Sun, 2011-07-24 19:57.

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