Fed: Tony Abbott blamed for ETS delay

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2010
Fed: Tony Abbott blamed for ETS delay

MELBOURNE, April 28 AAP - Businesses that have spent millions preparing for an emissions
trading scheme should blame Tony Abbott for its sudden delay, Deputy Prime Minister Julia
Gillard says.

The ETS will be postponed until at least 2013 in a reversal of the federal government's
past enthusiasm to push it through the Senate.

Ms Gillard says that the opposition leader shares the blame in the ETS delay and he
should hear from businesses that have now been impacted by the government's decision.

"They ought to pick up the phone and ring Tony Abbott," she told reporters in Melbourne
on Wednesday.

"Tony Abbott walked away from it, so it's Tony Abbott's conduct that has cost business
the certainty it seeks."

Ms Gillard says voters can remain confident that her party will act on climate change.

Labor believes in climate change while the Liberals remain a party with sceptics, she said.

Speaking in Queensland, Mr Abbott warned voters that a Rudd government would bring
back its "great big new tax" if it wins the election.

"Mr Rudd is backpedalling on his ETS - he's trying to hide it, he's changed his tactic,
but he hasn't changed his mind," he told reporters.

"Re-elect the Rudd government (and) there will be an emissions trading scheme - change
the government and there will not be an ETS, there will not be a great big new tax. It's
as simple as that."

AAP sbl/gfr/ash

KEYWORD: CLIMATE GILLARD

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