No ETS or carbon tax until at least 2013

Abbott is pulling the strings

Be thankful for small mercies, I guess. We have 2 1/2 years (at least) before a Labor government would consider introducing an ETS, and a carbon tax is off the menu. But the vested-interest green groups are desperate, needing continued climate alarmism to justify their own existence:

GREEN groups have demanded Labor introduce a carbon tax or ETS as Julia Gillard prepares to outline her plans to tackle climate change.

“We need to see the government commit to a detailed plan, which would see legislation introduced in the life of the next parliament to limit and put a price tag on pollution,” Climate Institute CEO John Connor said yesterday.

The Prime Minister specifically rejected a carbon tax on Wednesday night, telling ABC Television “the pricing of carbon I think is best done through a market-based mechanism –– that is the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme”.

But she confirmed her government would not move on the ETS during the life of the next parliament and instead stick to the timetable outlined by Kevin Rudd.

“I am holding to the decision that was announced by the government that we will review in 2012 the nature of the community consensus in Australia about the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, the progress internationally on pricing carbon and combating climate change, and we’ll make a decision then about the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme,” Ms Gillard said.

And the only option for Labor is spelt out by Greg Hunt:

“Julia Gillard has become the second Labor prime minister in four months to postpone the promise of an ETS indefinitely,” he said. “The only place for her to go now is to adopt parts of the opposition’s direct-action approach.”

Tony Abbott is running the climate policy from the Opposition (like he’s running the asylum seekers policy).

Read it here.