Government trying to blackmail business into opposing ETS delay

Desperate times call for desperate measures, especially if you're part of Spin & Co, I mean Krudd & Co, and are trying to force through pointless, expensive legislation at any price. Now, Greg Combet, without any hint of irony, is trying to blackmail the Australian business community by scurrilously claiming that delaying the ETS "will cost billions".

Addressing the Minerals Council of Australia this morning, Mr Combet said putting off a vote on the scheme until next year may force the Government "back to the drawing board" on its assistance package for emissions intensive, trade exposed (EITE) industries.
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"Voting for the scheme in Parliament means Australia is locking in certainty and guaranteed assistance for Australian industry," he said.

"Delaying a vote would jeopardise that guarantee and remove certainty for industry that currently exists under the proposed scheme." Mr Combet has warned industry to carefully consider their response to any pressure to delay the scheme. "Billions of dollars worth of assistance are involved," he said.

Is Combet really suggesting that delaying by a few months to see what happens in Copenhagen is really worse than signing up now to the hopelessly flawed ETS? Is there no end to this government's spin and deception? Apparently not. There should be a law against it.

Read it here.