The pundits in the Australian media have descended like vultures this morning to tear into Tony Abbott’s new climate change policy.
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
web exclusive Abbott’s answer to climate change: ERF
Tony Abbott has announced a confusing and sketchy direct action policy on climate change centring on an unfunded multi-billion dollar “Emissions Reduction Fund”. Just what this debate needs: another acronym.
Wong: CPRS: you know it makes sense
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong makes her last-ditch case for the government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, ahead of today’s vote: it’s the easiest way to limit on our emissions before Mexico.
Risk management, $100b and Question Time bingo
The Government faces a tough sell on climate change, especially if Abbott and his media cheerleaders are skillful enough salesmen to convince voters climate change can be crossed off their list of concerns just by throwing some handouts around.
Australians cool on global warming
A new Morgan poll has found an increasing number of Australians think concerns over global warming and exaggerated, and an increasing partisan divide on the CPRS legislation. Possum Comitatus crunches the numbers.
Stick that in your pie hole: ETS won’t inflate prices
In what no doubt will be a relief for pie eaters everywhere, a pie shop owner has confirmed that the ETS will likely be absorbed without any additional price rise for pies, reports Crikey intern Flint Duxfield.
Abbott’s army powerless against climate change
Tony Abbott will rally a “green army” to save the environment, but his anointed generals say it will be powerless in the face of climate change inaction.
Kerr: Abbott ducks, weaves and then hits where it hurts
Penny Wong loves to rile the Opposition about not yet having a clear climate change policy. But as much as she’d like that to be the issue, Tony Abbott is right to point out that only the government’s actions count, says Christian Kerr.
Whatever Rudd is, Abbott is the opposite
Kevin Rudd isn’t quite sure how to handle new Opposition leader Tony Abbott yet. From refugees to climate change, Abbott’s been out on the Rudd offensive and Kevin is right to be worried, says Paul Daley.
Garrett: Abbott’s half-baked magic pudding policies
It’s bullshit that Tony Abbott can dramatically cut carbon emissions without any significant cost, says Peter Garrett. The CPRS won’t cost a fortune, makes polluters not taxpayers pay and makes environment sense.
Bronwyn Bishop: The Copenhagen fairy tale with no happy ending
The Hans Christian Anderson classic, ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’, is a nice allegory for the Copenhagen climate summit. Who’s going to mention that the Copenhagen Accord is spun from lies? asks Bronwyn Bishop.
Albrechtsen: Our PM has no balls
The people love him, but as Kevin Rudd done anything of great substance as PM? Instead, he avoids making difficult decisions — from the ETS to the stimulus package — to help ensure his popularity, writes Janet Albrechtsen.
Shanahan: Rudd stuck between a rock and a hard place
After failing to achieve agreement in Copenhagen, Kevin Rudd has to balance the Greens and Tony Abbott to try and pass his ETS. Rudd’s now the diplomatic middle child, both domestically and internationally, notes Dennis Shanahan.
Sheehan: Rudd just an environmental blowhard of hot air
We can’t blame Kevin Rudd entirely for climate change and global warming. But we can blame him for making it even worse, writes Paul Sheehan. Rudd’s green credentials are disappearing faster than the Murray Darling Basin.
Gittins: Will the 2010 election be the making of Rudd?
The Libs will run a negative election campaign, dissing their ‘great big tax’ policies without really introducing their own. Which means Rudd will have to stand up for his policies and not just rely on Opposition leadership trouble, says Ross Gittins.
The power of Barnaby Bananas
When Barnaby Joyce ranted on talkback about the ETS rants, he used the word that makes all voters ears prick up: tax. And the influence that Joyce had over the CPRS debate was huge. Will the ‘Barnaby factor’ continue? asks Madonna King.
Fran Kelly: Where is Rudd when we need him?
Going to election with a Great Big New Tax is risky. But if Kevin Rudd stops jetting off overseas and spent more time convincing the electorate of the need for an emissions trading scheme, he could pull it off, says Fran Kelly.
Grattan: Sour grapes Malcolm trash talks his new leader
It’s nearly an election year and recently deposed Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull is on the warpath against Tony Abbott over climate change. Can Turnbull convince other members to cross the floor and vote for the ETS? asks Michelle Grattan.
Libs finally on the right path to salvation
The Liberals dodged a bullet with the ETS, because they would have been stuck criticising a policy they helped create, writes The Oz. There is broad discontent amongst the electorate about the ETS and the Libs need to start milking that.
First poll says Abbott a bonus for Labor
A look at the first polling reaction to Tony Abbott’s ascension to the Liberal leadership. So far it seems he is helping to increase votes. Votes to support Labor.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Liberal and climate ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Crikey readers weight in on the Liberal leadership change. Is change as good as a holiday? Plus, should the ETS have been rejected?
Tony Abbott enters the year of living climatically
Tony Abbott stumbles early on climate policy, and Labor ensures that, trigger or no trigger, it will be the subject of political choice well into the new year.
Tony Abbott’s proposal to cut carbon isn’t crazy, but it’s expensive
Tony Abbott’s not completely crazy by contending he could meet a 5% cut in 1990 emissions without an ETS, says Rooted blogger and Greens media adviser Tim Hollo.
Sheridan: Being Catholic is not a sin
Tony Abbott is far from an extremist, even if much of the media is trying to depict him as one, writes long time Abbott pal Greg Sheridan. Rejecting the ETS isn’t extreme, it’s a good debate to have.
