Following today’s repeal of the carbon tax, the Greens have reacted angrily to the decision.
This page provides a selection of audio and video items featuring the Greens leader, Senator Christine Milne, and her deputy, Adam Bandt. [Read more…]
Labor Reacts To Repeal Of Carbon Tax With Commitment To Emissions Trading Scheme
Jul 17, 2014
Following today’s repeal of the carbon tax, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has committed the ALP to support an emissions trading scheme.
Shorten told a press conference that Australia is taking a step backwards while the rest of the world is moving forward. He said “Labor believes climate change is real and we must take action”. [Read more…]
Carbon Tax Abolished; Senate Crossbenchers Back Government
Jul 17, 2014
The Senate voted today to abolish the carbon tax. Supported by the Senate crossbenchers, the upper house also brought to an end the emissions trading scheme legislated by the Gillard government.
The final vote was taken at 11.14am and passed by 39 votes to 32. The ALP and Greens senators opposed the repeal. With the independent Senator Nick Xenophon absent due to illness, the three Palmer United Party senators (Lazarus, Lambie and Wang), joined with Senators Muir, Leyonhjelm, Day and Madigan to kill the signature legislative achievement of the Gillard Labor government.
Media reports say the Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, texted Prime Minister Tony Abbott after the vote with the words: “Factum Est”, Latin for “it has been done”. [Read more…]
As Defeat Looms, Christine Milne Speaks Against Repeal Of Carbon Tax
Jul 15, 2014
With the repeal of the Gillard government’s carbon tax and emissions trading scheme looming over the next couple of days, the Greens leader, Senator Christine Milne, has described the move as “intergenerational theft”.
In a speech to the Senate tonight, Milne said parties were taking place around the parliament but the Liberals had misread the temperature: “Enjoy your celebrations: this is the last stand of the vanquished.” [Read more…]
Carbon Tax Repeal Bills Pass House For Third Time With Palmer Amendments
Jul 14, 2014
The bills to repeal the carbon tax and the emissions trading scheme legislated by the Gillard government have been passed for the third time by the House of Representatives, this time with revised amendments originally proposed by the Palmer United Party.
The Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, moved the amendments which were hammered out over the weekend in negotiations with Clive Palmer. The amendments strengthen the obligations on energy providers to pass on cost savings to consumers.
In the first of a series of votes just before 6pm tonight, the House voted 85-54 to pass the bills on the second reading, with Clive Palmer and the independent member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, supporting the government.
Subsequent votes were carried by 83-54 and 83-53, with Katter absent. The Greens member, Adam Bandt, and the other two independents, Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan, joined with the ALP to oppose the bills.
The bills now go to the Senate where they are expected to be passed by the end of the week.
Watch the result of the vote announced in the House (2m)
Palmer, Claiming Victory, Explains What Happened Last Week – Right?
Jul 14, 2014
The Abbott government has accepted Clive Palmer’s amendments to the carbon tax repeal legislation and Palmer has offered an explanation of last week’s events in the Senate that led to the rejection of the legislation.
Palmer says the crisis “was brought on by the government” which refuses to recognise Palmer United as a political party, “despite the fact that Palmer United received 5.6% of the national vote at the last election, while the Deputy Prime Minister’s party, the National Party, only managed 4%”.
Palmer says he formed the view that the office of the Senate Clerk “was being manipulated by the Liberal Party, or through time had assumed power it does not have to veto laws before they have been proposed by elected representative (sic) of the Australian people”. [Read more…]
Bill Shorten’s Speech On The Carbon Tax Repeal Legislation
Jul 14, 2014
The carbon tax repeal legislation is about to be passed by the House of Representatives for the third time and the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, has argued against them in an impassioned speech to the chamber.
Shorten lamented the lost opportunity that began in 2009 with legislation of which he said the nation could have been collectively proud. [Read more…]
Carbon Tax Repeal Bill Defeated In Senate As Palmer Squabbles With Government Over Amendments
Jul 10, 2014
The Senate has rejected an Abbott government bill to repeal the carbon tax.
A combination of ALP, Greens and Palmer United Party senators, supported by Motoring Enthusiast Senator Ricky Muir, voted 37-35 to defeat the bill that would have abolished the carbon tax.
The bill failed due to a breakdown in negotiations between the government and the Palmer United Party. Palmer wanted the legislation to mandate that power savings be passed on to consumers. In the end, the amendment moved by Palmer was judged to be a tax that the Senate had no power to introduce. [Read more…]
Palmer Party Senate Leader Glenn Lazarus Heckled During First Speech On Repealing Carbon Tax
Jul 08, 2014
Senator Glenn Lazarus was heckled by observers in the public gallery during his first speech to the Senate on repeal of the carbon tax legislation this morning.
Lazarus, the Senate leader of the Palmer United Party, spoke in favour of the repeal legislation. He said a global solution was required for a global problem. [Read more…]
The Result Of Clive Palmer’s Al Gore Stunt: Carbon Tax Abolished, ETS Dead
Jun 25, 2014
The cynicism of today’s stunt by Clive Palmer became clear late tonight as the Palmer United Party leader confirmed that his senators will vote for the abolition of the carbon tax and the emissions trading scheme.
Earlier today, Palmer called for the establishment of an emissions trade scheme (ETS) that would only come into force once China, the United States, the European Union, Japan and Korea had also taken action to establish similar schemes. International action of this order is all but impossible to imagine. [Read more…]