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Abbott 'running scare campaign' on ETS

Online political correspondent Emma Rodgers

Story Added : 08th February 2010

Former Liberal leader John Hewson has taken aim at Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's climate change policy, accusing him of using fear to win over voters.

In an opinion piece for the ABC's The Drum which denounces both sides of politics for "squibbing" action on climate change, Dr Hewson has also criticised the media for focusing on the colour of the political debate rather than the substance of the science.

Dr Hewson has urged both Mr Abbott and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to show leadership on the issue instead of "wallowing in the colour and movement of grossly irresponsible politicking".

"I am particularly disturbed by the way our current 'debate' on the challenge of climate change is unfolding," he writes.

Dr Hewson's comments come as today's Nielsen poll in the Fairfax media shows voters prefer the Coalition's policy over Mr Rudd's emissions trading scheme.

Recalling having been "done slowly" by former prime minister Paul Keating over his doomed attempt to bring in a GST before the 1993 election, Dr Hewson says Mr Abbott's strategy could work because it will gain media attention.

"The media fascination back in 1993 was in the colour and movement of my slow death," he writes.

"To be clear, Abbott's response is mostly political.

"While there is merit in soil carbon, tree planting, solar, etc, if they were to be well developed policies , as part of a more broad-based overall response, his strategy is the belief that you can frighten and fool most of the people, all of the time."

In selling his policy to the public Mr Abbott has used the line Mr Keating employed in his campaign against the GST in which he told voters: "if you don't understand it don't vote for it".

Dr Hewson says Mr Rudd has failed to counter Mr Abbott's "scare campaign" with an adequate explanation of how the emissions trading scheme will work.

"Rudd has the resources of Government," he writes.

"He should be able to expose a political fear campaign for what it is."

The Government has the option of a double dissolution election on climate change, with its ETS legislation already having been defeated twice in Parliament.

But it has re-introduced the bills into Parliament and debate will continue today over the scheme, which puts a price on carbon and charges companies to pollute.

Mr Abbott's alternative policy involves spending $10 billion over 10 years to encourage business and farmers to use direct action measures to reduce emissions.

Story Added by ABC.
Date Added : 08th February 2010

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