Oh this is going to make VA's AG very unhappy - he's been gunning for a UVA prof who wrote a paper supporting the theory of climate change...AG Cuccinelli insists he has a right to see the prof's research papers, the prof disagrees.
BHP CEO calls for Australian carbon tax .. BHP's move puts carbon tax back on Gillard's agenda Tom Arup and Adam Morton .. September 17, 2010
BHP CEO, Marius Kloppers, calls for the introduction of a carbon tax in order to set price certainty for business. .. VIDEO inside ..
JULIA GILLARD has left open the possibility of abandoning an election promise to not introduce a carbon tax amid a concerted push by energy and mining leaders for swift action on climate change.
Responding to BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers' call for Australia to embrace a carbon price ahead of other countries, Ms Gillard yesterday refused to rule out a carbon tax, promising that a new cross-party climate change committee would look at all options "in good faith".
HAHA .. YOU HAVE TO SEE TONY ABBOTT in the video this one!!! .. conservative HYPOCRITE .. so big on breaking one promise, t hough conditions have changed dramatically .. farting cows excluded .. that's good ..
Julia Gillard strikes deal with Greens on carbon pricing
* Phillip Hudson and AAP .. * From: AAP, Herald Sun .. * February 24, 2011 11:46AM
Prime Minister Julia Gillard with Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown and Greens deputy Christine Milne along with Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott announcing their agreement to pursue a carbon price. Climate Change Minister Greg Combet (obscured behind Ms Gillard) Picture: Kym Smith Source: Herald Sun
UPDATE 6.30pm: TONY Abbott says Julia Gillard's new price on carbon pollution is a "betrayal" that will increase average family power bills by $300 and hike petrol prices by 6.5 cents.
The Prime Minister today announced a carbon price would start on July 1 2012 if she could get legislation passed in federal Parliament.
In a deal with the Greens, Ms Gillard said tackling climate change and cutting pollution was critical for Australia’s clean energy future.
While she conceded that power-hungry goods and services would be more expensive under the new scheme, she stressed every cent raised would go to compensating industry and households.
But while the carbon price is yet to be set, Mr Abbott was quick in his attempts to skewer the proposals before they are put to Parliament.
Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard had ruled out a carbon tax under a Labor government in last year's election campaign.
Related Coverage .. links for the rest of these inside if interested .. * Pricing: Businesses fear cost of carbon plan * The Punch: Carbon price debate is PM's biggest fight * Dummies guide to carbon pricing Herald Sun, 18 minutes ago * Greenhouse tax to push prices higher Courier Mail, 7 hours ago * Price fears on carbon backflip Adelaide Now, 8 hours ago * Gillard, Greens brace for tough talks The Australian, 8 hours ago * PM ready for carbon tax fight The Australian, 8 hours ago
"Today's announcement is an utter betrayal of the Australian people," he said in Canberra.
"If the Australian people could not trust the Prime Minister on this, they can't trust her on anything."
Mr Abbott said the carbon price - which has yet to be set - would push up the average family's power bill by $300 a year and fuel prices by 6.5 cents a litre.
"This will be paid every day by every Australian," he said.
Mr Abbott vowed to fight the scheme "every second of every minute of every day of every week of every month".
"I think there will be a people's revolt against this carbon tax," he said.
He claimed the decision showed it was actually Bob Brown who was heading the minority government.
Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt said Ms Gillard was afraid to say the carbon price was a tax, leading to “massive increases in power and petrol prices”.
"That's why she uses carbon price. She doesn't have the courage to say to the Australian people that this is a carbon tax."
Mr Abbott's office put out a press release today that included examples of "what Julia Gillard and Labor used to say about a carbon tax".
On the day before last year's election Ms Gillard said: "I rule out a carbon tax."
Earlier, in August 2010 she said: "There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead."
'Time is right' for carbon price
Today the Prime Minister, speaking to reporters in Canberra, admitted price hikes were inevitable if she won support for a carbon price.
But Ms Gillard stressed every cent collected from the tax would go towards giving compensation to families to pay for the rising cost of household bills, helping business to make the transition and tackling climate change.
“And the Government will always support those who are in need of assistance with cost of living pressures.''
Ms Gillard said there was “work to do” on industry and household compensation arrangements, and expected some “hard conversations” before those matters were finalised.
But despite the price effects, putting a price on carbon was the most efficient way to cut carbon pollution, she said.
“If you put a price on something - people will use less of it.''
Ms Gillard said the carbon price set by the Government would be fair.
While she expected the Opposition would try to brand the push as a new tax, she said "history tells us you need to be on the wave of change".
She predicted a tough fight ahead with Mr Abbott and expected he would immediately be spruiking a fear campaign “and talking to Australians about a great big new tax on everything''.
''(But) can I make it very clear that in the debate that will ensue I am not intending to take a backwards step," she said.
“I'm determined to price carbon.
“History teaches us that the countries and the economies who prosper at times of historic change are those who get in and shape and manage the changes.
“The time is right and the time is now.''
She announced a two-stage plan that would start with a fixed price on carbon for between three and five years, with the second stage being an emissions trading scheme.
Ms Gillard said after the fixed carbon price began in 2012, the country would move to a “cap-and-trade” emissions trading scheme within three to five years.
Agricultural emissions will not be included in the carbon pricing system, because Ms Gillard said trying to account for those emissions was “too complex”.
Independents, Greens support vital for carbon scheme
The breakthrough comes after the Government last year abandoned its previous emissions trading scheme after it failed to get it through the Senate.
At the time, the Greens sided with the Coalition to vote against an emissions trading scheme, arguing the carbon reduction targets were too low and industry compensation was too high.
While Ms Gillard has now locked in the support of the Greens, the support of Federal Parliament is uncertain.
Independent Rob Oakeshott said he was strongly in favour of the proposals, and if there was a favourable plan he would "sign it tomorrow".
But Independent Tony Windsor, also at the announcement, did not declare his hand: "Nothing's settled in my view."
The PM and the Greens leader announced their heads of agreement today at a joint press conference in the Prime Minister’s Courtyard at Parliament House.
The Government and the Greens have been regularly meeting to discuss options for putting a price on carbon to reduce greenhouse emissions.
A climate change committee - which involves the Government, Greens and independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott - has held four meetings since it was set up in September last year, in the aftermath of the election.
The failure of the emissions trading scheme breached a promise by former prime minister Kevin Rudd to tackle climate change and was blamed for his drop in opinion polls and eventual toppling by Ms Gillard.
The Opposition has said it will block any new “carbon tax'', so the Government will rely on the votes of the independents and Greens to secure the passage of its legislation.
Independent MP Tony Windsor has called for restraint from talkback radio hosts and fellow MPs amid an increasingly vitriolic debate about the Government's carbon tax plans.
The independent MP drew parallels with the recent shooting of US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, warning violent political rhetoric and "abuse" on the airwaves could provoke a similar tragedy in Australia.
His comments came after he revealed he had received a number of death threats over the issue, and released a phone message which ended with: "I hope you die".
"You're a f..ing liar, a dog, a rat, a big f...ing MP dog... and you wait you're not going to get voted in again. I hope you die, you bastard," the caller said.
"All I'm saying is look, be careful we don't want to go down the American road. We've got a great democracy here, we can argue with each other without killing each other," Mr Windsor told ABC Radio National Breakfast.
"I think we saw instances in America recently where people were incited by various professional media people to hideous acts," he said.
"There should be substantive debates on substantive issues, not just slogans and one-liners and abuse on the airwaves. And I would hate something happen to someone in our parliamentary system and that would change it forever."
And he leveled a finger at conservative talkback radio hosts, saying they are orchestrating a campaign designed to bring the Government down.
"This is about eradicating the current Government, using the carbon pricing issue as the catalyst to attempt to get some sort of people's revolt, US-style revolt to overthrow the government," he said.
"I think the shock jocks and others are involved in an orchestrated campaign over the issue itself, but particularly they're targeting members of parliament that want to be involved in the substantive debates.
"I think if they keep running that line they may well have a self-fulfilling prophecy and incite people to do things they would never normally do."
Both the Government and the Opposition have ramped up their rhetoric on the issue, with Opposition MP Sophie Mirabella this morning comparing Prime Minister Julia Gillard to besieged Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi.
"If Ms Gillard believes Australians want to pay higher electricity and higher petrol prices she is as deluded as Colonel 'my people love me' Gaddafi," she said.
"We've seen families are really struggling under increased costs of living."
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has distanced himself from Ms Mirabella's comments.
"I think that's a pretty colourful way of describing the Prime Minister, and it's not language I would normally use myself," he said.
"The point I make to all of my colleagues is that we have a case to argue, and it's important that we argue the case in ways which add lustre to our side and which make us a credible alternative government."
Treasurer Wayne Swan says he is appalled that senior Coalition figures have compared the Prime Minister to Mr Gaddafi.
He thinks it has been done deliberately.
"I have been well surprised and then subsequently appalled by what appears to be a very deliberate strategy from the Liberal Party frontbench to compare ministers and the Prime Minister to terrorists and murderous dictators," he said.
"It's just not on. This is absolutely unacceptable in our public life."
Nationals MP Darren Chester has called on all sides to calm down over the debate.
"I heard the comments that were made on Mr Windsor's phone and frankly I was appalled by them," he said.
"I call on everyone to take a cold shower in terms of the reaction to the debate.
"It is an emotional debate, it's an important debate ... but there is absolutely no place in Australia for the type of comments that were left on Tony Windsor's phone."
For obvious reasons i meant to post the article here earlier .. see this one for a little more background on Tony Windsor and Andrew Wilkie .. and general chit chat stuff.
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
