Oh, if Malcolm Turnbull was premier of NSW, the joys that he would bring! writes Miranda Devine. He’d fix the political mess, make Sydney greener, bring in new investments and make state governments prestigious again.
Emissions Trading Scheme
Farewell to the Libs green credentials
I fear that without Malcolm Turnbull the Liberals will be stuck for longer in the far right and anti-environmental groove John Howard created for them, even if he argued for a rarely useless policy, writes Tim Hollo.
Irvine: Climate change won’t just disappear
Yep, we’re all over debating the ETS and the best climate policy. But jeez, even Howard would have implemented a carbon emissions plan by now. Rudd needs to do something, now, writes Jessica Irvine.
Turnbull: So long, farewell, I gave it all my might
Malcolm Turnbull pens his own farewell letter, lamenting the failure of the Liberals to pass the ETS but says he will not be leaving politics a bitter man.
Costello: We need to be cynical about climate change
Last year climate change was “the greatest moral challenge of our time”, this year Rudd’s realised that climate change is tricky politics and it’s easier to talk about health funding, says Peter Costello.
Van Onselen: Despite the broken heart, Turnbull still loves the Libs
It was completely naive of Malcolm Turnbull to think that he could pressure Tony Abbott to put him as shadow finance minister last week. But Turnbull is still important to the Liberals, writes Peter van Onselen.
Abbott’s a good sport with political games
This week’s Four Corners offered a fascinating profile on Tony Abbott’s life before he became Opposition leader. But what about since then? Is he just Howard 2.0? asks The Piping Shrike.
No love lost between Labor and Greens
For years the Greens have been regarded by the ALP as the “harmless fairies at the bottom of the garden”. But the Greens’ power is growing and the ALP — particularly the Labor Left — need to be on alert, writes Nick Dyrenfurth.
Climate scientist: nuclear power can save us
NASA scientist James Hansen says that cap-and-trade schemes are “hokey” and will never be accepted by developing countries. Only a carbon tax and the use of nuclear power will work to battle climate change.
Carbon leakage: how a carbon price would fit into big polluters’ accounts
The cost of carbon permits under the CPRS for our biggest polluters sounds a lot — until you see what they pick up or lose on the changing Aussie dollar.
Fran Kelly: Powerfox is Rudd’s best weapon
Move over Rudd, your ‘Minister for Everything’ is the perfect salesperson to spruik the ETS, tax reform and public hospital reform to a nervous public this election, writes Fran Kelly.
Carbon leakage: reason for hand-outs or corporate hot air?
“Carbon leakage” is at the heart of the Federal Government’s beleaguered CPRS — and yet it remains an unproven theory across the globe.
Garrett loses insulation et al to Rudd’s Mr Fixit
Peter Garrett got the boot from the home insulation program so that Kevin Rudd’s Mr Fix It a.k.a Greg Combet could take over. Can Combet clean up in the same way he did with the CPRS?
Business case on ETS falling away post-Copenhagen
With Tony Abbott arguing for a tax-free direct action plan, Kevin Rudd needs business to pack his economic model. But the initial support for an ETS is falling away, reports Jason Whittaker and Matthew Knott.
Can direct action work? The British experience
If we chuck in the idea of a market mechanism for reducing carbon emissions, we need to think seriously about how to minimise the problems of direct action.
Paul Kelly: How the govt deny, spin and divert attention from the ETS
It’s rare for a first term government to struggle with implementing one of their first major policies, in the way that the ETS has become, writes Paul Kelly. Labor seem unable to champion it, yet won’t abandon it.
Rudd puts his finger on the double dissolution trigger
Is Australia headed for a double dissolution election? That’s what the pundits are predicting this morning, with the Government’s sudden switch in focus from the ETS to the private health insurance rebate means test.
Europe’s ETS declared a smashing success
Contrary to popular belief, Europe’s “Great Bix Tax on Everything” has not been a flop. The world’s biggest emissions trading scheme has created a healthy carbon market and brought emissions down. Australia could learn a lot.
David Marr: Lonely Turnbull has no political certainty
Peter Garrett copped the wrath of parliament yesterday, but it was also Malcolm Turnbull’s big day as he crossed the floor to vote for the ETS. The quiet Turnbull seemed to have lost his statesman’s stance, writes David Marr.
Paul Kelly: Political pressure cooks Rudd
Labor is at a crossroads, after the fiasco of Copenhagen and PM Kevin Rudd’s inability to successfully argue his ETS policy. The question now is: what does Rudd do next? asks Paul Kelly.
Australia’s climate mess: arguing over crap policies
Realistically, both Rudd’s ETS and Abbott’s ERF climate policies are far more alike than either would care to admit. Quit bickering over details and bring in a carbon price to get the ball rolling, writes Richard Denniss.
Gittins: Just because you don’t understand it, doesn’t mean the ETS is bad
Remember the GST scare campaign? We’re seeing a similar thing now with Rudd’s ETS and Abbott’s alternative plan is just puffery. Don’t let fear of change drive us, writes Ross Gittins.
Turnbull: dealing blows or big blow-hard?
Malcolm Turnbull laid into Tony Abbott’s climate change policy plan in a speech to Parliament yesterday. But did he deal a damaging blow to his Abbott’s scheme, or come off looking like a sore loser? How the pundits saw it.
Abbott and Turnbull: a tale of two speeches
Two Liberal leaders gave speeches in Parliament today. One was “forceful, well reasoned, cutting, intelligent and persuasive”, says Grog. The other was given by Tony Abbott.
