Australia's carbon trading plan falters

May 26, 2009, 6:28 GMT

   Sydney - The Australian government's plans for a carbon-emissions trading scheme were thrown into disarray Tuesday after the opposition pledged to block enabling legislation passing through parliament.

   'The question is: Will the scheme work? What's it going to do for jobs?' opposition Liberal Party leader Malcolm Turnbull said when announcing it would not back the scheme when the bill is voted on in June.

   Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had hoped to have the legislation through before the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen in December.

   Labor's trading scheme was to start in July 2011 and is projected to achieve a reduction on emissions on 2000 levels of 5-15 per cent by 2020.

   Labor doesn't have a majority in the upper house of parliament, the Senate, to pass the legislation it has proposed.

   It needed the support of either the Liberals or independents. It will now get neither, as the Greens and other minor parties have also opted to block the bill.

   The Greens Christine Milne, who opposes the scheme because its targets are perceived to be too low, said blocking the legislation might give the government a pretext for an early election - one she would welcome.

   'Let's bring it on,' Milne said. 'I'm very happy to get out and campaign on climate change.'