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Labor party signals carbon standoff by demanding emissions trading scheme

The Guardian reports (somewhat to my surprise) that Labor is going to try to defend the carbon tax and its transition to an emission trading scheme - Labor party signals carbon standoff by demanding emissions trading scheme.

Labor will oppose Tony Abbott’s long promised repeal of the carbon price if the Coalition fails to implement an internationally linked emissions trading scheme. ... Shadow cabinet resolved on Friday to hold Labor’s election posture on carbon pricing. Labor will allow the “tax” to go in favour of a cap on pollution and a floating carbon price from July 2014. ...

“The opposition will move amendments consistent with our pre-election commitments to terminate the carbon tax on the basis of moving to an effective emissions trading scheme,” the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, told reporters in Canberra on Friday. “However, if our amendments are not successful, we will oppose the government’s repeal legislation in line with our long held principled position to act on climate change to build a modern economy,” he said.

Shorten was asked by reporters whether the ALP would be better off politically rolling over and accepting Abbott’s mandate to abolish the carbon “tax”. He replied Labor would “never be a rubber stamp for Tony Abbott”. “We won’t be bullied by Tony Abbott because he doesn’t accept the science of climate change,” Shorten said.