Green groups urge next Australian government to deliver carbon price

A group of trade unions, environmental and religious groups have today released
a joint statement calling for Australia to put a price on carbon.

The group, which includes the Australian Council of Trade Unions, The Climate Institute, the Mining and Energy Union, The Uniting Church, Greenpeace and WWF, said introducing carbon pricing represents the "most cost-effective way to reduce our greenhouse pollution and its impacts on our climate, health, environment and security".

The move comes as Australia's Green Party this week signed a deal formalising its support for Julia Gillard's Labor Party, providing a boost to Labor's chances of forming the next government in the wake of last month's inconclusive election.

If Labor forms the next government, the deal commits the Party to forming a dedicated climate change committee that would be tasked with establishing the best means of introducing a carbon price.

The civil society groups expressed strong support for the proposal, arguing that such a committee would help ensure that Australia moves quickly to improve its climate change policy.

"It is well established that the longer we delay action, the more expensive action will be," the statement said. "It is also well established that an equitable, efficient and effective response to climate change requires major polluters to take responsibility for the pollution they cause. As citizens and consumers, we will share this responsibility."

The organisations said the current uncertainty surrounding carbon pricing has undermined investor confidence in the Australian economy and was delaying long-term investments in low-carbon projects.

They added that there is community support for urgent action to tackle carbon emissions and that a credible and effective plan to reduce pollution and respond to climate change would spark billions of dollars of new investment.

"This will make clean energy cheaper, ensure major emitters take responsibility for the pollution they cause, create thousands of new jobs in clean energy industries and new opportunities in regional Australia," the statement said.

The group is urging all parties involved in negotiations to form a new government to include policies to tackle pollution and climate change.

This week a key group of three independent MPs – Robert Oakeshott, Tony Windsor Bob Katter – are meeting in Canberra for talks with the two main parties.

A fourth independent MP, Andrew Wilkie, today signalled that he would support Labor, giving it a one-seat lead over the coalition. However, the party is still two seats short of the majority it needs to form a coalition government.

Environmental policy is likely to form a key part of the remaining talks after Oakeshott said that improvements to climate change policy were critical if he was to support any deal.

Labor has committed to revive plans for carbon pricing, but the opposition Liberal Party, many of whom are sceptical about man-made climate change, has attempted to characterise such moves as a tax on energy and have rejected carbon pricing proposals.