Peter Garret has been asked to clarify the Rudd Government’s Emissions Trading scheme to his local Randwick City Councillors.
Green Senators are calling on the government to adopt much higher targets for cutting greenhouse emissions below 1999 levels.
Senator Bob Brown wants Prime Minister Rudd to “…accept the unconditional pre-Copenhagen target of at least 25% by 2020”. The Greens further believe that the target could be 40% if there is strong international agreement at an up coming meeting in Cophenhagen.
Randwick Green Councillors will invite local MP and Government Environment Minister Peter Garret to address Councillors on a Greens motion backing Sen. Brown’s call.
Councillor Murray Matson said this week,
"We don’t believe that the Federal Government proposed emissions trading legislation is supported by local residents and we will be proposing that Council call for tighter measures on behalf of the local community.
We think it appropriate that Peter Garret as the local MP should enhance the debate for the Councillors by coming along and giving us the benefit of his views on the issue.”
Senator Bob Brown recently wrote to Greens members advising that the Green Senators could not support the proposed legislation prior to the Copenhagen meeting without stronger Australian targets.
Sen. Brown said,
"We have written to the Prime Minister to say that unless the Government accepts the unconditional pre-Copenhagen target of at least 25% by 2020, to be met regardless of global action, to be lifted to 40% by 2020 in the event of a strong agreement at Copenhagen, the Greens will not be supporting the Bill.”
The Greens are also seeking “substantial changes to the design of the scheme”, in particular: