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ETS backdown welcomed, Climate Change Department should be scrapped
MEDIA RELEASE
The Institute of Public Affairs has welcomed the Rudd Government's back down on the Emissions Trading Scheme.
"The Rudd Government's decision to ‘suspend' the legislation is clearly a prelude to abandoning the proposal", said John Roskam, Executive Director of Australia's most influential think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs.
"Kevin Rudd made great political mileage with the ETS, dishonestly claiming it as the ‘greatest moral challenge' of our time. His decision to now walk away from the ETS shows his position was concocted.
"A year ago, on 4 May 2009, the IPA called for the ETS to be scrapped entirely.
"A year ago, the Rudd Government claimed the science was settled. Now, the IPCC is reviewing its own work after it was discovered it had cooked the books.
"A year ago, the Rudd Government said there was no time to lose in cutting carbon emissions. Now, it appears to be a second or third term agenda issue for the Rudd Government.
"A year ago, Kevin Rudd said Australia should be taking a leadership role in implementing the ETS. Now, he won't even stake his own leadership on it.
"The IPA now calls on the Rudd Government to save precious taxpayers money and scrap the Department of Climate Change.
"Over the course of this debate, the IPA has been abused, slurred and publicly attacked for standing on principle for the best interests of every Australian. Our position has now been vindicated.
"The IPA will stand up for what is in Australia's national interest founded in evidence-based research whether it is popular, or not. The ETS debate proves that", Mr Roskam said.