Government vows to reintroduce ETS legislation
The Federal Government has put the Opposition on notice that it will reintroduce the revised Emission Trading Scheme legislation to Parliament in February 2010.
The vow from Acting Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, followed the Senate’s decision to vote down the ETS for a second time, giving the government a trigger for a double dissolution election.
The local government sector was waiting for the outcome of the vote because of the implications of the legislation on the operation of landfill facilities by councils. The revised legislation also took into account voluntary actions by households and organisations.
Under its provisions, voluntary actions by households would have allowed Australia to go beyond its 2020 emissions reduction target. In addition, the scheme would be amended to ensure that all existing and future purchases of GreenPower would be counted, and allow Australia to go beyond its 2020 national targets.
President of the Australian Local Government Association, Geoff Lake, would not comment directly on the outcome of the Senate vote. Cr Lake says the ALGA will reserve judgement on the Opposition’s tactics, but he says the association fully supports the concept of an Emissions Trading Scheme.
Cr Lake says the ALGA wants to see legislation adopted sooner than later to deal with climate change and adaptation measures to deal with its impact.
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