Greens don't like us, so Libs must deal: truck lobby

[Baack]

The trucking lobby is urging compromise on an emissions trading scheme, while condemning a Greens proposal it says will punish fleet owners.

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has thrown its support behind an emissions trading scheme, saying the considerable business expense is the best way to meet carbon reduction targets.

The industry group is concerned failure to pass federal legislation will see states impose their own restrictions on the trucking sector.

“If the Coalition and the Government can’t agree on a workable emissions trading system, it will leave a policy vacuum that will be filled by the states, territories and local government,” ATA Chairman Trevor Martyn says.

“In response to public pressure, they will end up putting in place inconsistent sector-specific regulations that will impose a huge compliance burden on Australian businesses.

“In the transport sector, we could see complex and prescriptive regulations about how companies can move freight or restrictions on the sort of engines that companies can use.”

Martyn believes proposed amendments from the Greens will do exactly that. In a rare partisan attack, he claims the Greens “don’t like the trucking industry”.

“They say they want a ‘just transition’ for the communities that support industries like ours, but that’s politician-speak for giving people a voucher for computer training as a token gesture and then tossing them on the unemployment scrapheap,” he says.

http://www.qbr.com.au/news/articleid/59177.aspx

[Agent86]

Goodbye road transport australia, nice knowing ya!