Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced the make up of her new Multi-Party Climate Change Committee (MPCCC), which will help decide how Australia will tackle the divisive issue.
Speaking with other Labor MPs and two Greens MPs, the PM unveiled the membership of the committee in Parliament in Canberra.
Labor membership in the MPCCC will include Ms Gillard and her deputy Wayne Swan, as well as and Climate Change Minister Greg Combet.
Greens MPs Bob Brown and Christine Milne, and independent MP Tony Windsor, will also sit on the committee.
Four independent experts will also add their voices to the committee. They are Professor Ross Garnaut, Professor Will Steffen, electricity price regulator Rod Simms and social services expert Patricia Faulkner.
The PM reiterated that the offer remained open for Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and members of his party to take part in the initiative.
Ms Gillard urged Mr Abbott to act in "good faith" and "not to play the role of wrecker" by working with Labor on setting a price for carbon pollution.
Ms Gillard says setting a carbon price would help Australia's international standing.
"It's necessary to stay in step with the rest of the world," Ms Gillard says.
"If we fair to act… we run the risk of falling behind."
Greens Leader Bob Brown thanked the PM for her dedication to tackling climate change.
"There is widespread and popular concern about climate change… because it affects our children and grandchildren," Senator Brown says.
"We will be consulting with the community as we go down the line [on the MPCCC]".
Mr Brown says the MPCCC initiative would put Australia on a "safer trajectory" for its future.
"We take this with great responsibility and great seriousness… and a great sense of optimism," the Senator says.
Share
