While in the middle of the $42 billion spending package of the Labor Government, Mr Rudd has plied his mind to other matters said Senator Barnaby Joyce, the leader of the Nationals in the Senate. Mr Rudd today announced a new parliamentary inquiry into the economic impact of the ETS.

“It would appear he has had an epiphany that an Emissions Trading Scheme in the middle of a financial crisis will force people out of their jobs, out of their homes and on to the streets,” Senator Joyce said.

“The National Party have been saying exactly this. If the ETS had gone through people most definitely would be walking down the street saying ‘I am out of work, not because of climate change, not because of the global financial crisis but because of Mr Rudd’s new tax that made my job or my business unviable’.

“I do applaud the honesty of Mr Rudd that he has at least been able to recognise the flaws in his initial judgement, even if it means his program of policy has lately fallen into a shambles.

“We knew there was a rat when Mr Rudd at his press conference to discuss the so-called stimulus package on Tuesday last week failed to answer the final question from a reporter when asked what would be the effect on jobs by the implementation of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. From what we could discern, his answer was he had to “zip”, even though he had the Treasurer and the Finance Minister with him to help him in his deliberations.

“So Mr Rudd and the Zippettes exited stage right and now we have a new inquiry to discuss reducing carbon pollution at the lowest economic cost.

“So Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zippity-ay, my oh my, what a peculiar affray.”