Councils off carbon hook

Age
Friday 15/5/2009 Page: 4

HOUSEHOLDS have been spared hundreds of millions of dollars in additional council rates by Government changes to the emissions trading scheme's treatment of landfills. Legislation outlining the emissions trading scheme, which went before Parliament yesterday, removed a proposal to charge landfill operators retrospectively for carbon emissions from waste deposited before the scheme was announced.

The industry had calculated that including "legacy emissions" in the scheme would have cost local councils up to $200 million a year, which would have been passed on to ratepayers or borne by councils. The changes come after a month of negotiations between parliamentary secretary for Climate Change Greg Combet and industry representatives. Mr Combet said yesterday the industry would have been the only one charged for past actions, which "isn't equal or fair".

But he would not commit yesterday to additional compensation for the coal industry. He will meet representatives today to hear their concerns about having to buy carbon permits for methane emitted by mining operations. The Opposition responded to the tabling of the legislation with a three - line statement from emissions trading spokesman Andrew Robb, stating that it would now "consider the legislation in detail".