Coal seam gas expansion & carbon tax

Two key impact points today. Firstly, as you'll see below, Senator Bob

Brown has said he will support Qld farmers against the State Government's

coal seam gas expansion. It would be worthwhile commending Bob Brown's

commitment whilst at the same time spreading the message that QLD would do

well to have its own representative in the Senate.

On the carbon tax, well now even Tony Abbott is saying the PM should sit

down with The Greens and talk climate change action! Does it get more

impressive than that? Unfortunately not with Qld Premier Bligh dismissing

the tax and attacking the Greens.

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Greens back farmers against coal seam gas expansion (ABC)

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201006/s2939707.htm

Greens Leader Bob Brown says he'll support Queensland farmers in their

fight against the expansion of the coal seam gas industry in the state.

Last week, the Queensland Government gave initial approval for a company

to go ahead with a project, which would see 8.5 million tonnes of LNG from

the western downs piped to an export plant in central Queensland. But

Senator Brown says he'll fight the project when it seeks federal approval.

"It's a complicated issue, but you don't change a winning combination,

which is the food productivity of the region, without having an enormously

good reason," he says. "You have to look at the dangers involved in going

in that course."

See also: Farmers fuming over natural gas rush (ABC)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/18/2931187.htm

See also: Greens warn of environmental disaster if coal seam gas approval

proceeds (Qld Greens)

http://qld.greens.org.au/media-releases/greens-warn-of-environmental-disaster-if-coal-seam-gas-approval-proceeds?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

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Greens make Gillard a climate offer (Trading Room - Fairfax)

http://www.tradingroom.com.au/apps/view_breaking_news_article.ac?page=/data/news_research/published/2010/6/180/catf_100629_181000_5683.html

"Pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to reveal what she

will do on climate change, with the Australian Greens making her an offer.

Kevin Rudd's decision to delay an emissions trading scheme (ETS)

contributed to his downfall and there is widespread uncertainty -

including among Labor MPs - around what Ms Gillard will do on climate

change. Greens leader Bob Brown has written to Ms Gillard offering to vote

in a fast-start, temporary carbon price within three months of the

election. Senator Brown appeared willing to negotiate, flagging in the

letter that the carbon price would not include a target to reduce

emissions - a controversial issue - and there could be compensation paid

to industry. "The Greens are opening a new door to a new prime minister

for new action on climate change," Senator Brown said in a statement. The

Greens may hold the balance of power in the Senate after the election.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott challenged Ms Gillard to come clean on her

plans. "If she is serious about putting a price on carbon she shouldn't

wait until after the election, she should sit down with Bob Brown now,

come up with something," Mr Abbott told reporters in Tasmania's George

Town."

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Bligh rejects Greens' carbon tax proposal (The Australian)

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/bligh-rejects-greens-carbon-tax-proposal/story-e6frg6n6-1225885879315

"LABOR and trade union figures have ridiculed an offer by the Greens to

back a carbon tax if the PM agrees to shut down coal-fired power.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, backed by the Australian Minerals Council

and the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, yesterday rejected

an attempt by Greens leader Bob Brown to entice the Prime Minister into

talks that would see a carbon tax in place within three months of the

federal election. And while Ms Gillard did not comment on the Greens

initiative, government sources said the Greens were "kidding themselves"

and should have backed Labor's attempts last year to create an emissions

trading system if they were serious about action on climate change.

Yesterday Senator Brown said the deal would involve "an end to polluting

coal-fired power, a national energy efficiency target and an end to

clearance of native forests and woodlands". "This is breakthrough

politics," he said. While Ms Gillard, who is reviewing Labor's climate

change policy, refused to comment yesterday, Ms Bligh, whose state relies

on its coal industry for export revenue, said Senator Brown could have

backed Labor's ETS proposals last year. "We can't simply exit coal-fired

power when it makes up 80 per cent of the state's power," Ms Bligh said.

CFMEU mining division national president Tony Maher said the Greens would

never find a place in the serious debates about climate change until they

abandoned their "stupid" call for the closure of the coal industry.