my letter to Teresa Gambaro on Climate Justice

Teresa Gambaro

Member for Brisbane

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance.

cc: Kevin Rudd - Foreign Minister.

Dear Ms Gambaro,

Right now, negotiations are taking place which will determine what the carbon price will look like.

Over the next 3 weeks, crucial details including the starting price, compensation measures & exemptions will be decided.

I can appreciate that the various lobby groups & vested interests will be intensifying their scare campaign, aiming to secure a weak and ineffective policy.

Australian Businesses have adopted a position calling for a relatively low starting price. Professor Garnaut is calling for $26/tonne. Some are lobbying for $10/tonne. The Federal Opposition Leader - Tony Abbott wants $0/tonne & a subsidy scheme instead. Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has alluded to a starting price of around $20/tonne.

So called "Trade Exposed" industries want exemptions from their moral obligations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Tim Costello was quite impressive at Sunday's "Say Yes" rally in Brisbane. Tim made the connection between climate justice & the end of slavery. Apparently in the 19 century, companies in Britain who exploited "slave labour" also considered themselves as "Trade exposed" Industries.

For developing communities, acting on climate change is not another political issue – it is the issue on which their future depends.

Please consider the impacts of your decisions over the next 25 days on developing communities and future generations.

regards,

Rowan Barber