Australia Backtracks on Climate Change Promises

(04 May 09 - RV) The Australian government announced this morning that it intends to postpone the introduction of its proposed carbon tax scheme until 2011. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that the delay was necessary because of the economic slowdown and concerns the tax would hurt business.


He also said that he would seek more dramatic emissions cuts when his proposal is presented to the Senate for a vote in June.Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull described the scheme as "flawed" and said that it would not support it.


We spoke to Andrew Mackenzie, associate director of the Australian National University's centre for climate law and policy, about what this delay means and what we can expect in the coming months