Correspondance with Labor member Justine Elliot's staff
I recently corresponded with the staff of our local federal Labor MP about Labor's lack of a climate change policy, and my decision as a result of it to neither preference Labor nor Liberals at the recent state election.
I've attached the correspondance ...
Hi Rose
Firstly, I should say that I am on the Electoral Roll, in your district, and voted at this election.
If the Labor Party believes, as you say, that human induced climate is the greatest environmental challenge then it is a pity that Labor does not have a policy sufficient to address it.
I refer you, for example to the independant analysis at Vote Climate which shows Labor's policy only marginally better than the Liberals.
In particular, 60% by 2050 is far from an adequate response. As the Stern report showed the cost of avoiding dangerous climate change is far less than the cost of dealing with it. And for that we are going to need 80 or 90% by 2050.
It is hard to believe Labor's claims of seriously addressing emissions when it is committed to expanding coal mining. Similarly its focus on mythical solutions like Clean Coal shows that it is not serious about addressing the problem.
Similarly an opposition to Nuclear Power is hardly consistent with Labors support for more uranium mines, after all the only other use for Uranium is in Nuclear Bombs?
With Labor in charge of the states, it is only reasonably to expect similar lack of action at the Federal level to that seen at the states. When we see how US states - especially in California - have led the way in moving far beyond the fossil fools in Washington, it is disappointing to see such a lack of initiative - and indeed in Queensland actively pro-emissions-increase policies coming from Labor.
In particular the lack of real targets for renewable energy in NSW is a clear indication of what we are likely to see from federal labor should it gain government. Similarly a preference at the state level for roads over railways shows exactly what we can expect from a future federal labor government.
Maybe these points show why I decided not to preference either Labor or Liberals at the state election, and do not plan to do so at the federal election without seeing substantial real commitments to tackling climate change.
- Mitra
At 10:50 AM +1000 2/4/07, Rose, Kylie \(J. Elliot, MP\) wrote:
Thank you for writing to me following GetUp’s campaign in relation to Labor’s climate change policy and National Summit on Climate Change.
...
Climate change is such an important issue. Your vote will make a difference. If you have not yet enrolled to vote I urge you to do so. Enrolment forms are available at you local Post Office, or you can contact my office on 1300 720 675 and we will post you out the forms.
The Labor Party believes human-induced climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing the global community.
However, in Australia, there is still no national climate change strategy, and because of the Howard Government’s eleven years of inaction and denial, Australia is on track to increase its greenhouse pollution by 27% by 2020.
Federal Labor Leader Kevin Rudd convened the National Climate Change Summit on March 31 to help forge a national consensus on climate change, drawing on the brightest minds and best ideas from business, science and the Australian community.
Labor welcome’s GetUp’s contribution to the climate change debate, and believes the group’s Five Point Action Agenda raises important issues in the lead-up to the Summit. Labor has clear and strong policies in relation to each of GetUp’s points, which are listed below:
1. Ratify Kyoto and commit to 30% reduction of greenhouse gases emissions by 2020:
Labor will ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Labor is committed to reducing Australia’s greenhouse pollution by 60% by 2050. Labor has not ruled out setting further targets, and will make significant policy announcements in relation to climate change in the lead-up to the election. Labor’s National Climate Change Summit is an important stage in this process.
2. Introduce an emissions trading scheme with significant caps on carbon emissions:
Labor is committed to introducing an emissions trading scheme as a matter of course.
An emissions trading scheme is the most economically efficient means of achieving Labor’s strong commitment to cut Australia’s greenhouse pollution by 60% by 2050.
Again, Labor’s National Climate Change Summit will provide an important forum for discussing and canvassing the shape of this scheme.
3. Lead a green energy revolution to slash our vast amounts of energy waste:
Labor is committed to investing in energy efficiency and helping Australian households, communities and businesses do the right thing by the environment. These issues will be discussed at the Climate Change Summit, and policies in relation to energy efficiency will be released in the months ahead.
4. Make renewable energy law, with a 12% legislated electricity target from renewable energy by 2012:
Labor is committed to substantially increasing the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target, which under the Howard Government is effectively stalled at a paltry 1% of generated power.
Labor is committed to building a strong and healthy Australian clean energy industry.
5. Invest in a public transport system fit for the 21st century:
GetUp has welcomed Federal Labors’ announcement of a $500 million “Green Car Innovation Fund” designed to generate $2 billion in investment to secure jobs in the automotive industry and tackle climate change by manufacturing low emission vehicles in Australia.
Labor is also committed to work with the States and private fleets to guarantee a market for Australian cars that meet cutting edge environmental standards. We will work with the States to make sure taxes and charges on new cars encourage the use of green cars – plus give city traffic and parking advantages for these vehicles. Through Labor’s Green Car Challenge, we are committed to putting competitive, locally built low emission cars into the Commonwealth fleet.
Manufacturing and deploying low emission vehicles is a crucial step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Australia’s transport sector. Labor is showing leadership on climate change, and will work with the States and Territories, the providers of public transport around Australia, to ensure our nation is served by public transport systems fit for the 21st century and beyond.
Voters will have a clear choice at the next election between a Labor Party committed to Australia being part of the global solution to climate change and a nuclear-obsessed Howard Government that doesn’t have a climate change strategy and hasn’t even set a date for starting to cut greenhouse pollution.
Only a Rudd Labor Government will seriously address climate change.
So I thank you for writing to me as part of GetUp’s campaign in relation to climate change. Your views are important to me, and I urge you to follow the outcomes of Labor’s National Summit on Climate Change on March 31, another important step in facing the profound economic, environmental and social challenge of climate change.
Regards
Justine Elliot MP
Federal Member for Richmond
Posted by admin at April 3, 2007 7:43 PM
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