The Coalition's Plan to improve the environment and combat climate change won't cause you, yes, each of you, extra pain in the hip pocket. The Rudd plan is a tax on everything from energy to food.
I find it ironic that our plan to provide incentives for best practice has been criticised by the very people who have increased the cost of living and spent all the previous Federal Government's Budget surplus.
I was asked if I had changed my mind on climate change by endorsing this policy.
I say this. The Coalitiion represents ALL Australians. Many people do not want the ETS and it's inherent high costs, but many do want action on improving our environment. We are doing what both sections want, unlike Mr Rudd who seems to think that only his view is the right one.
The key points of our plan are:
- it will achieve the same 5% reduction in emissions from 1990 levels by 2020
- it will retain jobs in Autralia - not export them
- an additional one million solar roofs by 2020
- it will improve soil carbon and soil fertility
The Coalition's Plan WILL NOT:
- increase taxes - further adding to our debt
- drive up the cost of electricity and fuel
- create a huge and costly new bureaucracy