Australia not necessarily to adopt carbon tax: minister
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Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean denied Sunday the renewed discussion about carbon tax means Australia will certainly introduce a price in its response to climate change.
Earlier, the coalition has been accusing Prime Minister Julia Gillard of misleading Australians after she changed her mind on whether a carbon tax should be considered.
On the eve of the Aug. 21 federal election, Gillard ruled out introducing a carbon tax. However, it has since been put back on the agenda, following a call from BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers to consider it as part of Australia's response to climate change.
Crean said the political landscape in Australia had changed since the election, meaning negotiating with the Greens and independents had become more important.
He rejected a suggestion that the prime minister had "caved in" to the Greens on climate change, insisting it was not necessarily the case that Australia would adopt a carbon tax.
"She hasn't caved in. She hasn't said she's supporting a carbon tax. What she has said is we will have a carbon tax on the agenda, " Crean told ABC Television on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Labor frontbencher Craig Emerson said the government spoke about a price on carbon well before the election.
And implementing such a measure could help international relations, the trade minister noted.
"If we are seen to be doing the right thing in terms of putting a price on carbon, that will help," he told Sky News.
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