Warren Truss MP: Transcript from Sky’s AM Agenda
30-July-2009
Federal Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss
Transcript from Sky’s AM Agenda
30 July 2009
Subject: Labor’s proposed carbon pollution reduction scheme; The Nationals in Coalition
Ashleigh Gillon: I’m hoping to ask you about The Nationals position on the Government’s emissions trading scheme – do you agree with Malcolm Turnbull’s new position on the ETS?
Warren Truss: Well, The Nationals have made it clear right from the beginning that Labor’s CPRS is completely unacceptable. It needs to be changed radically so that it is more in keeping with what happens in the rest of the world. Malcolm Turnbull’s proposals are a step in that direction, and that is certainly a move that we would support.
Gillon: So would The Nationals vote for an ETS with the Liberals if the Government does address those nine concerns raised by Mr Turnbull?
Truss: Our concern right from the beginning has been that Labor’s scheme is not in keeping with what is happening in the rest of the world. It is much harsher. It places burdens on Australian industry that no-one else in the world will have to endure. It will cost jobs in this country but it delivers absolutely nothing for the environment. Indeed, global emissions would probably go up as a result of Labor’s scheme. Now that doesn’t make sense – we will never support a scheme that includes those sorts of features, and the scheme would have to be changed radically before it would receive any kind of National Party support. We are going to defend Australian jobs and we want to do what we can to improve the environment and to be a part of any global initiative to address climate change, but it’s not going to be at the expense of Australian industry and Australian jobs.
Gillon: Do you have any genuine expectation that Labor will change its scheme to accommodate Mr Turnbull’s demands?
Truss: Well I’m concerned about Labor’s approach to this whole issue. They don’t seem to be prepared to talk to anybody about making genuine improvements to their scheme. In fact, many people are saying they don’t think that Labor actually wants the scheme to be passed. They are talking to industry and seem to be acknowledging in private consultations that there are all sorts of flaws in the scheme. They know now that the United States is moving towards legislation that is nothing like what is being proposed in Australia and doesn’t have the impact on jobs that their scheme proposes. So they must know that this is not acceptable and they should be talking to people about developing a scheme that could be acceptable around the world.
Gillon: Just back on your position, a lot of your Nationals colleagues have said they will never support an ETS, full stop. Are you are saying that’s not your position, that if there are radical changes, as you called them, that you would be willing to vote with the Liberals for the scheme?
Truss: Well, we won’t support anything that looks like the current CPRS. If it barks like this CPRS, if it looks like this CPRS, we won’t be supporting it.
Gillon: But if Labor does look at those nine concessions put forward by Mr Turnbull, would you then vote for it this year?
Truss: Well if the world moves at Copenhagen and if the United States and other countries, China and India, join in a global effort to try and address climate change, then our concerns about this scheme will dissipate.
Gillon: But you won’t vote for a scheme before the end of this year, before that Copenhagen conference happens?
Truss: Well there’s no point in voting for a detailed scheme before the world develops its response. The United States at least would need to have in place legislation that other countries would show some indication they are willing to follow. The reality is that China and India and those countries also matter a great deal to us. Because if we just close down an Australian industry, it will just move to China or some other country and belch back to us all the emissions that we’ve cut out. In fact, they’ll belch back more. So we’ll effectively cost Australian jobs without doing anything to protect the polar bear, or the Barrier Reef or to fill up the Murray River.
Gillon: So if you’re saying The Nationals won’t vote yes for this scheme and won’t even consider negotiating on this scheme before that Copenhagen conference is held, is that going to mean that you and Mr Turnbull will have agree on some to sort of strategic split when it comes to that vote like we saw on AWB?
Truss: Well we won’t consider voting for any scheme that looks like this CPRS. There would have to be a substantial change to the scheme and there would have to be some sort of global sign-on before we’d be interested in supporting the scheme.
Gillon: So have you talked to Mr Turnbull about some sort of strategic split on this issue?
Truss: No we haven’t talked about any kind of strategic split. We have talked about we can do to help deliver a better emissions trading scheme for Australia and an effective response to global warming. This will do nothing for the environment and needs to be rejected for what it is – as simply a Labor Party political stunt that they know won’t work and therefore should be rejected now.
Gillon: What about Tony Abbott’s view that the Coalition can’t win an election on climate change and should accept that the Government has a mandate on this issue?
Truss: Well the public are already becoming abundantly aware of the impact of this scheme on them and their lifestyles. They’re worried about the jobs that will be lost; they’re worried about the increases in the costs of electricity. The public need to know that the cost of everything that they buy will be higher after a CPRS. Their food will be more expensive. Their electricity will be more expensive.
Gillon: Do you concede…
Truss: The public are concerned about this scheme. They don’t want their jobs put at risk, they would expect the Government to develop a scheme that actually delivers for the environment but not at the expense of Australian industry and advancing people in other parts of the world. They expect the Australian government to stand up for Australia, to deliver us a cleaner environment but without costing Australian jobs that are simply transmitted with our emissions to another part of the world.
Gillon: Just looking at the future direction of The Nationals, what benefit do you receive by having The Nationals associated with a leader who is polling at just 16 percent at the moment?
Truss: Well, in a family, people have good days and bad days. And we have to work through the difficult times as well as the good times. The public want a partnership between the Liberals and The Nationals as part of an effective opposition to the Labor Government. That Coalition has worked very well in the past. Sure there’s tensions from time to time, but we need to help one another through these difficult times and The Nationals will play a constructive role in ensuring that we are a credible alternative at the next election.
Gillon: Well The Nationals are losing seats, losing members; couldn’t you reinvigorate the party perhaps by breaking away from that Coalition agreement? Are you saying that’s not an option even on the table at the moment?
Truss: We are reinvigorating the party and we are re-focusing our efforts, particularly as the party representing regional Australia. We will be doing much more in the future, and that’s already evident – standing up for those people living outside of the capital cities. The merger of the LNP in Queensland has enabled us a federal level to focus much more intently as Nationals on regional issues. And so when it comes to regional health, infrastructure, broadband, we’ll be putting a particular regional focus on those issues as the only party that is specifically dedicated to the interests of those who live outside the capital cities.
So we’ll be contributing very usefully to a Coalition but we’ll also be standing up for regional Australia – independently if we need to be – to make sure that those who live outside the capital cities get a fair share of our nation’s wealth and prosperity.
Gillon: Warren Truss, just finally, you’ve been in Parliament for nearly 20 years, are you planning to recontest the next election?
Truss: Well I’m Leader of the Party, I most certainly intend to contest the election, and we hope to do very well.
Gillon: And stay on as Leader?
Truss: Yes, I’m planning to stay on as Leader and lead the party into the next election. We’re working hard on developing our policies. Our own Federal Council meeting is coming up shortly and we’ll be making some significant announcements during that conference about our future direction. But we’re planning for the future and we’re doing it with optimism in the knowledge that regional Australia will continue to play an essential part in the growth and development of our nation.
Gillon: National Party Leader Warren Truss, thanks for your time this morning.
Truss: You’re very welcome.
Source: Warren Truss MP
