House debates

Thursday, 26 June 2008

Questions without Notice

Emissions Trading Scheme

2:07 pm

Photo of Warren TrussWarren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Local Government) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. On Tuesday the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government said that an emissions-trading scheme must include the transport sector because it contributes 14 per cent of emissions, and that was ‘Economics 1A’. This morning in the House he denied ever saying that fuel had to be part of an emissions-trading scheme but rather that transport has to be part of a climate change strategy. Does the Prime Minister agree with the transport minister’s latest position on the ETS that liquid fuels should not be included?

Photo of Kevin RuddKevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

The government has said consistently that determination of the scope of the emissions-trading scheme and those sectors of the economy that will be included in it will be determined as a consequence of the green paper and white paper process that will ensue during the second half of this year. We have said that repeatedly and we restate it again. On the question of the inclusion of the transport sector and liquid fuels, the most definitive statement we have had is that by the former Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Mr Turnbull, who stated on behalf of the Howard government in July last year that the transport sector should be in.