Australia voted for climate action: Gillard

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has defended her plans to introduce a price on carbon, saying the electorate voted for action on climate change.

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Julia Gillard says she doesn't plan an early election over her carbon price plans, but says she'll do what it takes to push the action on climate change through parliament.

The prime minister told the ABC last night the Australian people voted for Labor to achieve action on climate change.

During last year's election campaign Ms Gillard declared there wouldn't be a carbon tax if she was re-elected.

Backed by Greens leader Bob Brown and two independents, the PM announced a carbon pricing system yesterday, to apply from mid-next year followed by a carbon tax some years later.

Gilalrd says she expects a fear campaign from the coalition after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott yesterday linked a carbon price to higher petrol and energy prices.

The multi-party climate change committee plans a two-stage approach to tackling greenhouse gas emissions.

A fixed carbon price will apply from July next year and an emissions trading scheme some years later.

Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet's already acknowledged the transition from a fixed price scheme to a cap-and-trade model will be a challenge.




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Source: AAP


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