Senator Trish Crossin corrects misinformation about the LNG industry and the CPRS.
Date: 30 November 2009
Senator Trish Crossin has today slammed Senator Nigel Scullion for his hypocritical and uninformed stance on the Federal Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
Senator Scullion's claims that the LNG industry will not be protected is not only incorrect, but also demonstrates how misinformed he is about the CPRS.
LNG will qualify for assistance as an Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed (EITE) Industry under the CPRS.
LNG is expected to be a moderately emissions-intensive EITE activity and general allocations of free permits will be made at a fixed rate of permits per tonne of LNG produced.
An additional supplementary allocation of permits will be provided for LNG projects to ensure that all projects receive an effective assistance rate at or above 50 per cent in relation to their LNG production.
The Government believes this assistance gets the balance right between reducing the risk of carbon leakage and ensuring ongoing incentives for the LNG industry to reduce emissions.
Business has stated they need certainty in order to proceed with new investments and passage of the CPRS through Parliament would provide this certainty.
Delaying the vote on the CPRS will do nothing to provide the LNG industry with any investment certainty whatsoever.
Senator Scullion has stated he does not believe the CPRS should be passed, claiming he is standing up for Territorians and Territory jobs.
However, this critical issue isn't even important enough for Senator Scullion to attend Parliament to vote on it and put on the record his final stance.
Senator Scullion will be absent from the Senate for the next three days while the CPRS is being debated and voted on.
Delay is denial. Delaying the CPRS is just another tactic used by climate change sceptics to avoid action on climate change.
Senator Scullion needs to explain to Territorians why he is absent from Parliament during this crucial issue.