No dirty deal on emissions trading

A speak-out against the Labor-Liberal dirty deal on the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) was held in Perth on November 26. The action was organised by the Coalition for a Safe Climate.

More than 20 people took part. Speakers condemned the deal between the Kevin Rudd Labor government and the embattled Liberal leader Malcolm Turnball that was announced on November 24.

The deal included the transfer of an extra $7 billion to corporate polluters under the CPRS. At the same time, about $6 billion in compensation to households has been junked.

Speakers said the scheme committed Australia to inaction on climate change and demanded the scheme be scrapped in favour of real plans to phase out fossil fuels.

In Melbourne, Chris Peterson reports 80 people rallied in Melbourne to oppose the CPRS on November 25.

At the rally, climate campaigner and Greens candidate for the upcoming Higgins by-election Clive Hamilton said: "All the CPRS has done is to line the pockets of corporations. The CPRS is supposed to impose a penalty, not encourage pollution. These people should be run out of town.

"We need people's democracy to be put before profits. We have no other choice", he said.

Simon Butler reported 80 people also rallied outside Rudd's Sydney office on November 25 to protest the new climate deal. Speakers included Greenpeace's John Hepburn, Friends of the Earth Sydney's James Goodman and Greens NSW MLCs Lee Rhiannon and John Kaye.

From GLW issue 820