Senator Christine Milne - Australian Greens

The Prime Minister and Opposition Leader should both heed the advice of US President Barack Obama, that a carbon price is necessary to tackle the climate crisis but that emissions trading is not the only option, the Australian Greens said.

The Greens today called on both the government and the opposition to support the simple model of a levy on the biggest polluters, designed by Professor Garnaut and proposed by the Greens, as a way to get Australia moving on climate action.

"The Greens have a proposal on the table, designed by Professor Garnaut and supported by the whole environment movement and many social groups, that would get Australia moving with climate action right now," Australian Greens Acting Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.

"Cross-party support for this sensible step would be the best way to make progress on climate action in Australia, and I know there are
members of both Labor and the Liberals who support our proposal.

"Tony Abbott would do well to reflect on President Obama's statement and recognise that, alongside a range of other policies, we do need to make polluters pay if we are truly tackle the climate crisis.

"The Greens have always said that a carbon price is necessary, but we cannot afford to simply accept policies which are so poorly designed that they lock in our polluting economy for years to come.

"Our simple carbon levy proposal is popular and effective - it gives industry certainty straight away, but is designed to be strengthened as
time goes on. It is a building block for action with real teeth.

"Mr Rudd should embrace this opportunity the Greens are putting forward to his government for Australia to get moving on climate action before the election."

Senator Milne also welcomed US Energy Secretary Steve Chu's warning that the USA needs to understand that China is overtaking it in the clean-tech race.

"Secretary Chu is one of the quiet heroes of climate action. Starting arenewable energy race between the USA and China is among the most effective tools to avoid climate crisis.

"Australia would do well to get in on the ground floor of this race, instead of trying to convince China to keep buying our coal."