Victoria Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith

Combet’s Hypocrisy Over Climate Change Act Review

Victor P Taffa

The Victorian Coalition Government is appalled by Mr. Combet’s blatant hypocrisy and deceit in his comments in The Age today.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith said Mr. Combet’s comments were the height of hypocrisy and misrepresentation.

“Mr. Combet himself is on the record stating that state-based climate programs need to be revised and in some cases scrapped, and yet today in The Age he accused the Victorian Government of scrapping state-based schemes.” Mr. Smith said.

“This is a blatant contradiction and demonstrates that Labor is completely inconsistent when it comes to their intentions.”

“The legislation that requires the Victorian Government to review the Climate Change Act was drafted by Labor, for Labor to use in the event of a national carbon price. This is highlighted by the Labor White Paper on Climate Change which stated:

In the event that the Commonwealth introduces a national emissions trading scheme or an economy wide carbon price, it will be necessary to review the Climate Change Act immediately to ensure consistency with any Commonwealth scheme.

“It is now typical of (Opposition Leader) Daniel Andrews’ Labor to use their federal friends to fight battles they know are based on misrepresentation.”

“As the Coalition announced on 22 October, the review of the Victorian Climate Change Act is intended to help provide greater coordination between federal and state-based emission scheme and carbon price.” Mr. Smith said.