Newcastle Greens say more than $6 billion should go to households

Newcastle Greens

MEDIA RELEASE
24 June 2011

Cr Osborne has backed the concerns of Australia’s chief scientist, Professor Chubb, that the climate debate in Australia “borders on the appalling” (SMH, 22 June 2011).

“The science backing climate change and pointing the finger at carbon pollution has been established for years”, Cr Osborne said

“It is only fair that the polluters should pay for their pollution.

“Experts such as Professor Chubb and Professor Garnaut agree that a price on pollution needs to work together with well-designed policies to bring on renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean transport.

“Around the world, pollution prices are in place in Europe, parts of the USA, India and New Zealand,” he said

Cr Osborne has called for households to get more than a half of the funds raised by a price on carbon pollution or more than $6 billion in the year 2012-13.

“I fully back calls by Greens Senator Christine Milne that households should be adequately compensated. This is particularly important for Newcastle, which according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, has almost 34,000 pensioners and almost 4,000 unemployed.

“These families need to be fully compensated for the effects of putting a price on carbon pollution”, Cr Osborne said.

Cr Osborne said that the Newcastle Greens will be distributing a pamphlet over the next week to give residents more information about the proposed package.

NOTES
Senator Christine Milne is leading the Greens negotiations with the Federal government.

ABS data can be found here

Professor Garnaut has estimated that with a carbon price of $26 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent would generate around $11.5 billion in potential revenue from the value of permits in 2012–13. (see Summary Report p18)