Climate change sceptic, Ian Macfarlane, has attacked Labor’s comprehensive plan to avoid dangerous climate change, including the establishment of a national carbon emissions trading scheme.

Labor firmly believes in harnessing the power of the market to drive innovation in clean energy technology and tackle climate change. Carbon emissions trading is the lowest cost means of cutting greenhouse emissions.

The Labor Party will take action to tackle climate change, but Ian Macfarlane denies climate change even exists.

Ian Macfarlane’s latest comments show he is not just a climate sceptic, he is also a market sceptic at odds with the Treasurer, Foreign Minister and Environment Minister.

On 14 February 2006 in Senate Estimates, the Environment Minister said:

“I think carbon trading schemes are part of the policy answer…There is nothing radical about supporting trading schemes.”

The Treasurer said in a speech in Los Angeles on 18 January 2006 that he supports carbon trading – but stands idly by and does nothing about it. The Treasurer said:

“A market based solution will give the right signal to producers and to consumers... encouraging more and better investment in additional sources of [energy] supply…”

On 31 July 2005, the Foreign Minister said:

“We know that emissions can't continue at their current rate…we'll have to investigate price signals coming from energy… You can get more investment into cleaner energy through changing pricing signals…”

There are only two types of price signals, emissions trading and a carbon tax. Labor supports emissions trading, but where does the Government stand?

Once you accept climate change is real you have to accept responsibility to act. Labor has a plan for action. The Howard Government is complacent.