Wednesday 9 February 2011

Beholden to lobbyists

Age
31 January 2011, Page: 12

THERE is an explanation for Julia Gillard's seemingly bizarre decision to cut renewable energy programs to pay for the flood damage. She did so for the same reason all federal governments have failed to adopt any decent climate change policies.

Gillard and her team are heavily influenced by the fossil fuel lobby and the free market ideology of some bureaucrats working in the Department of Climate Change. These people continue to push the erroneous idea that once you have a price on carbon, you can eliminate all other measures to support emissions reductions and renewable energy.

Those who trade in coal, oil and gas know that a price on carbon by itself will not be enough to create the urgent shift to renewable energy we need. The big polluters and extremist ideologues continue to dominate the development of climate change policy at our expense.

Pablo Brait, Richmond

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