The Coalition has decided to cut $300 million from its Direct Action carbon reduction plan, with the majority of this saving coming from halving the amount of the rebate for installing solar panels and solar hot water systems. The Coalition wants to target low income earners so decided to cut the rebate by half.
Three clean energy research centres were planned however these plans have now been scrapped to instead provide the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility at Griffith University on the Gold Coast with $12 million. The Coalition has also decided to spread the funds for solar energy projects over six years instead of the four years as proposed earlier. The $50 million proposed for geothermal and tidal energy projects has been moved to the industry budget.
Labour’s carbon pricing scheme will be axed with legislation currently being drawn up by the Prime Minister’s department. Tony Abbott says that this scheme will be dealt with when Federal Parliament resumes later this year. It is reported that Senior Labor Members have made mention that the party will obstruct progress to do away with the price on carbon.
There have been discussions amongst backbenchers that the Coalition’s Direct Action policy is a fraudulent therefore Labor should allow the tax to be axed to prove this according to Labor backbencher Nick Champion. CFMEU president Tony Maher believes Mr Champion’s is a political ‘amateur’ and hopes that this advice is not taken on board by Tony Abbott.
