“Yesterday’s announcement by Mr Rudd to defer implementation of the ETS until 2011 concedes the Government has time up its sleeve to get back to the drawing board and design its climate policies properly”, said the Nationals’ Senator Ron Boswell today. “I have listened to evidence presented to the Senate Climate Policy Committee for three long weeks and it is clear, beyond any doubt, that Mr Rudd and his Government have failed miserably in designing an ETS”, Senator Boswell said. “A July 2011 start date is simply delaying the inevitable.” Handing out a few more permits and fixing the emissions permit price for one year may soften the impact of the global recession but will do little to guard against the biggest economic threat currently facing Australian business: Rudd’s ETS proposals. “Yesterday’s announcements do nothing to allay fears of widespread job losses in coal, the livestock or dairy industries or ensure continued investment in industries such as cement, aluminium, steel or electricity.” “Mr Rudd continues to say that he will take us down the path of unconditional emission reduction commitments but continues also to fail in delivering on his election promise of no trade disadvantage arising from implementation of an ETS.” “Mr Rudd will introduce legislation to Parliament during next week’s budget sitting however concedes that his Government is still working through much of the detail of the trade assistance package.” “This is arrogance in the extreme. The Senate is being asked to pass legislation to ensure business certainty into the future but the Government has not tabled draft regulations that deal with the most important elements of the trade assistance package.” “The BCA and Ai Group want legislation passed this year despite no guarantee the proposed trade assistance package will be amended to properly address the competitive implications of Australia going-it-alone on climate change.” “This buy now and pay later approach to public policy is very dangerous and I strongly caution those industry groups who are gambling with the future viability of their members.” ENDS