Foreign Correspondence

[fuagf]

Time is right for Australian carbon tax, says Gillard

Updated June 30, 2012 19:31:26

A carbon tax seeks to limit the burning of polluting fossil fuels by putting a
higher price on their use. (JodieV, file photo: User submitted via ABC Contribute)

Map: Australia .. https://maps.google.com/?q=-25.720735,134.736328%28Australia+%29&z=5

On the eve of Australia's introduction of a carbon tax to control greenhouse emissions, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the impost is an important reform at the right time.

Australia will join a number of other countries with taxes aimed at putting a price on the carbon contained in hydrocarbon fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas.

The tax will be charged at $A23 a tonne of emissions on 294 organisations that emit 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide or the equivalent in greenhouse gases.

More than seven million Australians will receive a tax cut as compensation for any cost of living increases.

Ms Gillard said she is confident many households will be better off after the July 1 introduction of the carbon tax.

Meeting voters in Melbourne at the weekend, she said: "They will be in a position from tomorrow to judge for themselves the claims that have been made to see what carbon pricing really does mean."

Video: Carbon tax and what it means ..
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-30/an-gillard-carbon-sell/4102472 .. and other related stories ..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[insert .. it's a good video which raises many ???? .. about voting systems, parliamentary vs presidential vs other systems .. could the Greens ever come to have as great an influence under the system in the USA? .. ? .. there is much chat of damn no 3rd party influence in the USA .. oops, there has been, the TeaParty.

one other ? from in there .. is it fair to class the 'there will be no carbon tax...' a lie? .. if changed circumstances render the original 'lie' a virtual impossibility .. perhaps, courageous and astute politicians instead of saying .. "i will"', or, "there will be no" .. during almost interminablein election campaigns in some countries, could consider 'i will do my very best to...' .. or .. 'the position today is that 'there will be no'... .. would that harm their electoral chances? .. they would be open to the charge of not taking a position .. to which the reply would be, circumstances change .. lol .. anyway, i reckon there would be less talk of lies, which would be a plus ..]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Australians will "see the change it means for a clean energy future, and also to see for their household budgets, what tax cuts mean, what increased family payments mean, and what pension increases mean."

Opposition leader Tony Abbott pledged to dismantle the carbon tax if he wins government.

[THINK ROMNEY]

He was addressing the Liberal Party federal council meeting, also in the southern city.

He said the next election will be a referendum on the tax.

Countries with a carbon or energy tax or similar at present include India, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Some American states also have a carbon tax.

'Biggest emitter'

The author of the Australian Government's climate change review, Professor Ross
Garnaut, says from Sunday Australia will be doing its fair share to cut global emissions.

Professor Garnaut says the tax is Australia's first step towards an emissions trading scheme.

"With the package . . . Australia starts to catch up with the average of developed countries," he said.

"Lots of countries have gone a lot further than us.

"We are by far the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide by head of population among the developed countries."

First posted June 30, 2012 15:56:05

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-30/an-carbon-tax-launch/4102424

I truly hope that those about the world in opposition to climate change legislation are able
to find some small solace in an understanding the result will be that millions of humans,
including many great- and great-grand-children of theirs, will live in cleaner environments.

.. and that less are addicted to nicotine .. drag ..