Australian Senate Rejects Carbon Laws

Australia's parliament rejected the government's plan to cut carbon emissions on Wednesday, handing Prime Minister Kevin Rudd a constitutional trigger to call snap elections that could come as soon as March.

The scheme would be the biggest outside Europe, covering 75 percent of Australian emissions and starting in July 2011. It would effectively force polluters to pay for their emissions, requiring them to purchase emission permits from a carbon market.

However, the scheme was voted down in the Senate after a two hour-long session.

For National Party Senator Barnaby Joyce, it was all about protecting Australians from an extra tax burden.

[Barnaby Joyce, National Party Senator]:
"In this crucial economic debate, one of the most crucial economic debates of our times to stop this massive new tax being imposed by the Australian Labor Party on working families, pensioners and farmers, there are a number of people that need to be thanked, being able to change the sentiment of this Parliament."

Greens leader Bob Brown has always been critical over the emission reduction targets.

[Bob Brown, Australian Greens Senator]:
"But the question is: Do we act according to the world's brain trust, or do we act according to the pressure of the big polluters?

Family First Senator Steve Fielding was angry about the "rush" to pass the bills.

[Steve Fielding, Family First Senator]:
If the US Senate was forced the way the Australian Senate was forced, they would force No to any bill. This government is forcing the vote deliberately and this Senate will do the same thing and vote No."

The Minister for Climate Change and Water, Penny Wong, rose for her final words before commending the bill to vote.

[Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water]:
"We will do all we can and continue to do what we can to save our children's future and we will not take a backward step. Mr. President, I commend the bills to the Chamber."

The result wasn't a surprise after Tuesday's leadership change in the Liberal Party.

"There have been 33 Ayes, 41 Nos. The matter is result in the negative."

Failure of the law hands Prime Minister Kevin Rudd a legal trigger to call an early election on climate change, and to then push his laws through a special joint sitting of both houses of parliament if he is returned to power.

Australia has one of the world's highest per capita carbon emissions. It is heavily reliant on coal, shipping and motor transport, so its environmental policies and carbon-cutting potential are closely watched.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• NTD
• NTDTV
• Australia
• Carbon emission
• Kevin Rudd
• Election
• Europe
• Politics
• Barnaby Joyce
• Liberal Party
• Climate

[chotaboy66]

People need to wake up CO2 is not a pollutant .FACT

Co2 is life FACT

Co2 follows world temps it dose not lead the world temps. FACT

Man made Co2 is a fraction of 1% greenhouse gas.FACT

The whole world is one big natural foot print of carbon ,,we all should be proud of this .FACT

Media and the criminal IPCC brainwashing the Australian people at its highest degree.FACT

Government politions are lying deceiving criminals or out right stupid .FACT

[henripche]

Once you've obtained your PhD in climatology or some related science, maybe you'll have the credibility for the less than utterly retarded to take your words even mildly seriously.

[tehatemachine]

@kyeYuri And according to you Earth's climate is static?

[tehatemachine]

God damn. Australia YOU deserve respect for not following these retarded C02 emission regulations based only upon theory, NOT FACT. Respect from the states.

[chotaboy66]

@kyeYuri Yep thats why we are called a SUN burnt country alright ,simply because the sun drives temperatures which in turn drives CO2 levels that follow in the order of 800 years . My source is physical evidence of vostock ice core samples not some play station manipulated data input computer model that dose not do clouds ' water vapor" which is I might add the most prominent greenhouse gas by far . As for a broiling nation we do quite well considering we sell our water on the open market :)

[kyeYuri]

@chotaboy66 hey so, what happens when Co2 accumulates in the atmosphere?....oh yea that's right...something about the enhanced greenhouse effect wasn't it? That's always healthy for the already broiling Australia!

[unreal22000]

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[verziehen]

Why would anyone trust "Norman Bates" Bob Brown, or any others of the "Unrepresentative Swill" (as Paul Keating named them)? The Senate was brought into being to give equal representation to each state, not for psychotic self opinionated minority parties to strangle democracy. To use an Oliver Cromwell term, they are elected scum.

[chotaboy66]

@2times333 The caps represent passion YES?

Q: Is passion stupid ? A: I " think " not .

On the contrary the mistaken thoughts or the egos willful ignorance of factual reality are all yours sir.

[2times333]

@halflifeproductionz You got the last part right. It especially applies to Abbott.