Daily Round Up - Saturday 20 December 2008

Australia

The Rudd Government’s principal climate change adviser, Professor Ross Garnaut has lashed out at the Government’s new White Paper on the subject.

“There are a number of budgetary risks in the structure of payments to trade exposed industries,” Professor Garnaut is quote in The Australian.  “There are substantial risks the scheme will not be self-funding over time.”

Meanwhile, Paul Kelly also writes in The Australian, that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has decided to push ahead with his plan for an EU style Asia Pacific community despite reports of a lukewarm reception throughout the region.

China is reportedly happy with the proposal provided it does not lead to a downgrading of established regional bodies such as ASEAN plus 3.

China

The Chinese government has cut the price of fuel earlier than expected.  Analysts are now expecting a fuel hoard to develop before China's new fuel tax is implemented on 1 January 2009.

Fiji

The Fiji Times reports that Fijian President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo has approved the contents of a report by the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) regarding the People’s Charter.

The Fijian Government is refusing to reveal the contents of a letter sent to the New Zealand Foreign Minister.  It has been reported the New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji,  had been expelled from the country however he has since appeared on NZ television refuting such claims.

India

Indian Minister for External Affairs, Pranab Mukherjee has said India obliged to, “consider the entire range of options that exist,” following the failure of Pakistan to demonstrably renounced terrorism within its boarders.

His comments come after Pakistani President Zardari declared yesterday that there was no “real evidence” of Pakistani involvement in the recent terror attacks in Mumbai.

Papua New Guinea

PNG is facing a shortage of potable water following Tuesday's tidal waves.  The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs is warning about the risk of water-bourne disease.

BBS News reports the floods have displaced as many as 75,000 people and have affected people in PNG, Bougenville, the Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands.

Philippines

Following Thursday's twin bombing in Iligan City, the UK Government has reissued its travel advice for the Philippines.  The UK is urging British nationals to avoid travel to mainland Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.

Meanwhile the Philippines military is linking members of the Moro Islamic Liberatoin Front (MILF) to the bombings.

South Korea

Opposition lawmakers have used sledgehammers to try to break into a parliamentary committee room as the committee debated the US-South Korea FTA.

The last South Korean troops have come home from Iraq.

President Lee Myung-bak has called for "unprecedented measures" to reform the nation's labour markets

Thailand

Thailand's new prime minister has called for his predecessor, Thaskin Shinawatra to return home and face corruption charges.

Responses to the Australian Carbon Polution Reduction Scheme

This week, the Australian Government released its White Paper on an emissions trading scheme (ETS) or, as the government is calling it, a carbon pollution reduction scheme.  APB takes a look at some of the commentary following the Australian Government’s announcement.

Today I announced one of the largest and most important structural reforms to our economy in a generation, the introduction of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.  Kevin Rudd, 15 December 2008 

The Coalition will make a considered evaluation of the Government’s proposed emissions trading scheme released today.  Joint statement, Malcolm Turnbull, Andrew Robb, 15 December 2008  

Rudd, seized by the potential of the financial crisis to do greater economic harm next year, has taken the path of least possible resistance. In doing so, he has disappointed his supporters who treated climate change like an article of faith.  Dennis Shanahan (The Australian) 16 December 2008

Kevin Rudd has joined the likes of John Howard this week by walking away from treating climate change as serious threat to Australia’s future.  Simon Sheikh – GetUp! National Director

The Rudd Government has chosen to make one of the most important decisions it will ever make on the basis of lobbying by polluters instead on the clear evidence  Christine Milne 16 December 2008

Put precisely, Rudd is a green Howard. He has made climate change into a magic pudding. It is a work of political genius that would make Howard proud. Paul Kelly 17 December 2008

I regard the Australian plan ... as an opening bid, but an opening bid that is clearly not enough. Marthinus van Shalkwyk, South African Environment Minister 17 December 2008