Australia Senate backs carbon tax (BBC)

Australian Senate passes carbon tax

Vote is a victory for Julia Gillard, who staked her government's future on the most comprehensive carbon price scheme outside Europe

Reuters
guardian.co.uk, Monday 7 November 2011 22.20 EST

Australia's parliament has passed landmark laws to impose a price on carbon emissions in one of the biggest economic reforms in a decade, giving fresh impetus to December's global climate talks in South Africa.

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The vote is a major victory for the embattled prime minister, Julia Gillard, who staked her government's future on what will be the most comprehensive carbon price scheme outside Europe despite deep hostility from voters and the opposition.

The scheme is a central plank in the government's fight against climate change and aims to halt the growth of the country's growing greenhouse gas emissions from a resources-led boom and age-old reliance on coal-fired power stations.

It sets a fixed carbon tax of A$23 ($23.78) a tonne on the top 500 polluters from July 2012, then moves to an emissions trading scheme from July 2015. Companies involved will need a permit for every tonne of carbon they emit.

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