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Nothing Has Changed

(Nodding Greenhood Orchid)

Chilling accounts of the links between the fossil-fuel corporations and government, including one which has significant parallels with a current situation, are revealed in Dr Clive Hamilton's recently published book "Scorcher".
Dr Hamilton is the Executive Director of The Australian Institute.

He describes how on 6 May 2004 the Prime Minister convened a secret meeting of the Lower Emissions Technology Advisory Group (LETAG) , which consisted of the CEOs of the major fossil fuel corporations.

Leaked notes from this high level meeting show that the Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, stressed the need for absolute confidentiality, saying that if the renewable energy industry knew they were meeting "there would be a huge outcry".

The Prime Minister told the highly select group that he was worried about the Tambling Review of the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) , which had cautiously recommended extending the scheme. It had worked too well and the renewables sector had boomed briefly in response. The government wanted to kill off MRET as the Prime Minister said that he was "keen to protect Industry", by which he meant the fossil fuel-based industries, at the expense of the renewable and energy efficiency industries.

The Prime Minister proposed a Low Emissions Technology Fund to support 'clean coal' developments with $1.5 billion to be funded jointly by Government and Industry. The corporate heads responded by arguing that it would be much better if all the money came from government!

In June 2007 nothing has changed in the way the Government is doing business.

The Prime Minister's Carbon Emission Trading Task Force , made up of senior government officials and business executives from the coal, oil, transport and power industries brought down the following recommendations:

It is too early to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

National carbon emissions trading should not begin before 2012

Free, one-off permits for the biggest polluters

Abolition of Federal and State mandatory renewable energy targets.

However, the National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development , which recently released its climate change framework, called for Australia to adopt a target of cutting emissions by 20% by 2020 to put the country on an emissions reduction pathway immediately.

"The Forum, which includes the chairman of the Australian Greenhouse Office Experts Group on Emissions Trading from 1998-2000, Ian Dunlop, backs its call with economic research done for the Business Leaders Round Table last year. It showed that the economic impact of reductions would be greater under delayed emissions reduction action than it would be under earlier action" (Australian Financial Review 12.7.07).

The Forum says:

the proposed emissions trading scheme should begin "as soon as practicable"

it would galvanise the economy

it would create the conditions for a useful and relevant cap and trade scheme in greenhouse gas emissions

opportunities will arise from investments in new technologies and industries

And polling conducted recently by Essential Research of 800 voters in 16 marginal seats
found that 95% were in favour of renewable energy (Sydney Morning Herald 30.7.07).

The recommendations of the Prime Minister's Carbon Emission Trading Task Force are policies to further advantage a small group of greenhouse polluting corporations while cynically ignoring the best interests of Australia and its citizens. They make a mockery of his claim when elected, that he would govern for all Australians.

A copy of the prepared email to Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for the Environment, with a cc. to Peter Garrett (Shadow Minister for Climate Change) is shown below.

Regards from the Citizens Climate Campaign Committee

The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull,
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
cc: Peter Garrett, Shadow Minister for Climate Change

Dear Mr Turnbull,

The recommendations of the PM's Carbon Emission Trading Task Force to delay carbon emissions trading until 2012 are policies to further advantage a small group of greenhouse polluting corporations while cynically ignoring the best interests of Australia and its citizens.

The recommendations give free permits to the biggest polluters and recommend abolition of Mandatory Renewable Energy Targets (MRET).

The bias in the selection of the Taskforce from executives exclusively from the coal, oil, transport and power industries is a disgrace.

I call on your Government to take action on the recommendations of the National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development. It called for Australia to adopt a target of cutting emissions by 20% by 2020.

The forum's research shows that such an action would galvanise the economy. It also shows that business opportunities will arise from investments in new technologies and industries.

Polling conducted recently of 800 voters in 16 marginal seats found that 95% were in favour of renewable energy (Sydney Morning Herald 30.7.07).

How can your Government justify ignoring the recommendations of the wider business community and the wishes of the Australian people solely to benefit a small group of the worst greenhouse polluting corporations?

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