18 Oct/2009
Mr Macfarlane says the amendments will not add to the cost for the taxpayer. (Library of Congress)
The Federal Opposition's emissions trading spokesman says he is optimistic that today's special party room meeting on emissions trading will accept the amendments he has drafted.
Discussion ...Ian Macfarlane will present amendments that he says protect jobs and industry but would still meet the target of cutting greenhouse emissions by 5 per cent by 2020.
Some in the Coalition argue the Opposition should not be negotiating with the Government on the issue.
But Mr Macfarlane says he expects the Coalition will accept the amendments he is putting up today and he says it will then be up to the Government.
"If the party room accepts the amendments as I lay them out then the negotiation with the Government will begin," he said.
"If they are committed to getting a scheme which allows Australia to reach its emissions target then the negotiations will go on for probably six weeks.
"If they are only interested in playing politics about forcing the issue then the negotiations will be over by Monday afternoon."
Mr Macfarlane says the amendments he is proposing will not add to the cost for the taxpayer ...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... ?site=news
and exclude agrifulture's emissions but let them claim for carbon sequestered.