Putting A Price On Pollution

Today the Prime Minister announced that the government will finally act - and put a price on carbon from July 2012. There was some good stuff said both at the multi-party press conference and in the parliament. I only hope that the strength of her words are matched by the strength of the action.


For too long pollution has been free. Companies have chosen the cheap, high-pollution, option - even if it's only a few bucks cheaper. Putting a price on pollution makes the cleaner option more attractive. Now the planet-friendly option is also the profit-friendly option. Everybody wins. (I think Stuart showed this well). Also, the money raised can be used to help us make the change to a cleaner future.

Prime Minister Gillard:

I'm determined to price carbon ... History teaches us that the countries and the economies who prosper at times of historic change are those who get in and shape and manage the changes. The time is right and the time is now.

There are some people that will say we can't afford to move to a clean energy future, I disagree with that, we can't afford not to move to a clean energy future.

Senator Brown (Greens):

This agreement is the Greens in action, delivering certainty to the Australian economy, community, investors and the environment after productive negotiations with the Government.

(Gillard also had a great line about Bill Gates not waiting around for others to move into the computer age. The moral being that the rewards go to the people who take the initiative.)