From ABC Online
Posted Fri May 22, 2009 7:29am AEST
Updated Fri May 22, 2009 7:42am AEST
Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce has accused the Federal Government of trying to shut down criticism of its proposed emissions trading scheme.
He says the Government has blocked several of the Opposition's unfavourable witnesses from appearing before today's Senate inquiry into the scheme.
Senator Joyce says the Government is trying to make sure the inquiry favours its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
"This is the same Labor Party that talked about the Howard government taking the Senate for granted as a rubber stamp," he said.
"Now we find that once the pressure is on them, the first thing they do is start scripting so the Australian people can only hear one point of view.
"I've got no problems with them bringing out all these people, but this is the same Labor Party that has truncated the inquiry.
"We're pressed into this incredibly tight time frame [and] we can't actually get through the 11 pieces of legislation in time."
Meanwhile the Minerals Council of Australia says a new study shows the Government's emissions trading scheme will cost the industry 23,500 jobs over the next decade.
The study by Concept Economics predicts almost half the jobs lost will come from Queensland.
Council chief executive Mitch Hooke says his organisation supports a reduction in carbon emissions, but he is convinced the Government's scheme is fatally flawed.