MPs clash on ETS backflip

Alex de Vos
Federal Liberals have accused Labor Member for Corangamite Darren Cheeseman of an “embarrassing backflip” on the Rudd Government’s carbon emissions trading scheme.
Senator Michael Ronaldson and Corangamite candidate Sarah Henderson said Mr Cheeseman had given conflicting opinions on whether farmers should be subject to an emissions trading scheme depending on whether he was speaking to a rural or an urban audience.
Earlier this week Mr Cheeseman was quoted in a Geelong newspaper slamming a Liberal party proposal to exclude agriculture from Federal Government’s emissions trading system.
“Once you start pulling industries out of any emissions trading system, this of course means pressure on those industries and workers remaining in is so much greater,” Mr Cheeseman was quoted as saying.
“Any sensible policy response says all industries should make a contribution to change.”
However, the Colac Herald later quoted Mr Cheeseman welcoming his government’s decision to exclude the agricultural industry from the carbon reduction scheme.
“I think this is absolutely fantastic news for our region,” Mr Cheeseman said.
Mr Ronaldson accused Mr Cheeseman of trying to “dupe” the voters of Corangamite.
“These contradicting statements bring into question as to where Mr Cheeseman actually stands on the inclusion of farming in the emissions trading scheme,” Mr Ronaldson said.
“What we have is political opportunism at its worst. Not only does it seem that Mr Cheeseman is attempting to take both sides of this argument but that he is playing the people of Corangamite as fools by saying one thing in our regions and another in urban Geelong.”
Ms Henderson said Mr Cheeseman’s reported comments sounded like he was a “hypocrite.”
“I am flabbergasted by the hypocrisy of the current member for Corangmite as he has purposely criticised those who have stood up for farmers in Geelong (but) claimed victory for farmers in Colac on the same day,” Ms Henderson said.
“The hypocrisy is absurd – you can’t tell Geelong residents one things and then tell Colac residents another.”
But Mr Cheeseman dismissed the claims his statements were inconsistent.
“They (farmers) should be included (in a trading scheme), I’ve been consistent in saying that,” Mr Cheeseman said.
Earlier this year Federal Government announced it had delayed its emissions trading scheme by one year to July 2011, citing the global economic crisis.
A one-year fixed price period is set to be introduced – permits will cost $10 per tonne of carbon in 2011/2012, with the transition to full market trading to begin on July 1, 2012.