Coalition Direct Action Won't Rise if 5% Emissions Target Not Met

The Coalition will not increase funding for its “Direct Action” even if the climate policy fails to deliver Australia’s promised greenhouse gas reductions, an outcome several attempts to model the plan have indicated is very likely.

• Speaking at the National Press Club, Tony Abbott attacked the “almost unimaginable” long-term costs of Labor’s emissions trading scheme, but would not commit to any modelling of his own scheme despite two recent studies showing it would either cost billions more than budgeted or fail to meet Australia’s internationally pledged target.
• “The bottom line is we will spend as much as we have budgeted, no more and and no less. We will get as much environmental improvement, as much emission reduction as we can for the spending we have budgeted,” Abbott said.
• “We are very confident we can achieve the 5% target … but in the end we have told you the money we will spend – and we won’t spend any more,” he said.