Climate Change Action and Costa's Mickey Mouse Economics

Friday, 04 April 2008 21:13

“We challenge him to release all of the Treasury modelling, rather than selected bits so the assumptions and inputs can be independently reviewed and put in a real world context.  As a known climate change sceptic and avowed champion of polluting coal power and its privatisation, he has no credibility in this debate,” said Jeff Angel, Executive Director of the Centre.

“He throws big figures around but the real impact over such a long period is very, very small.  Significant economic and individual income growth continues.  And major new green industry is created.  Costa is a man of the past, out of touch with the future.”  

“He has also thrown up the bogey of scaring off investment, because of sovereign risk.  This is nonsense and echoes the ridiculous claims of the mining industry when new environmental laws were being brought in the 1990s.  If they had been right we would not have the mining boom we now have,” Mr Angel said.

“My position on privatisation and through participation in the Unsworth Committee is clear.  New South Wales should not be out there claiming free permits for the polluting coal fired generators.  It would be an obscene gift of cash, when as Professor Garnaut in his review of an emissions trading scheme has said – electricity prices will still increase,” Mr Angel concluded.