Call for Bipartisan Cooperation on Emissions

Friday, 13th March 2009

The Rev Fred Nile, Leader of the Christian Democratic Party, has call for bipartisan cooperation to ensure that the emissions trading scheme is passed for the benefit of the people and industries of New South Wales and Australia. Rev Nile made the statement before the NSW Upper House.

“I speak on an important issue dealing with the emissions trading scheme. It appears the scheme has hit a brick wall. Draft legislation has been tabled in Federal Parliament and needs to be passed by 30 June, but three separate parliamentary committees are now examining this issue. The Greens and the Coalition have joined forces to hold a wide-ranging inquiry into the emissions trading scheme, including investigating whether it is the most cost-effective way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the Federal Government itself has announced it will request the Senate's economics committee to examine the legislation and, thirdly, there is already a parliamentary committee on fuels and energy investigating the same territory. So, three separate parliamentary investigations are being held into the Federal Government's emissions trading scheme.

All these committees have to investigate and report and allow the legislation to be passed by 30 June. That is the important deadline to give business enough time to be ready by the starting date of 1 July 2010. These three committees, and particularly the Senate committee set up by the Greens and the Coalition, have threatened the whole timetable. The question is how will this affect the Federal area of industry and, particularly for us, how will it affect New South Wales? This is a serious matter. If it is agreed there needs to be an emissions trading scheme, obviously it needs to be thorough, meets the legislative requirements, and is passed by Federal Parliament so it can be implemented. I call on all parties to cooperate to ensure that the emissions trading scheme legislation is passed for the benefit of the people and industries of New South Wales and Australia”, Rev Nile stated.