Financial crisis won't delay emissions trading: Wong

ABC News Online, Posted 2 hours 4 minutes ago

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/14/2390118.htm

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says the Government will resist calls for it to delay the introduction of an emissions trading scheme.

The head of one of Australia's largest resources companies says it would be unwise to start the scheme while global financial markets are in chaos.

Woodside chief executive Don Voelte says the Government will be risking jobs if it presses ahead with a 2010 start date.

Ms Wong is in Poland for talks on global warming and says the financial crisis has been raised.

"On the issue of the current financial crisis, I would say that that has been the subject of some discussion and there is a clear view emerging amongst ministers that the current financial crisis does not lessen the need for the nations of the world to deal with climate change," she said.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has been calling for an emissions trading scheme to be delayed.

Mr Turnbull says it should not be finalised until global talks in Copenhagen next year.

"Why would you want to finalise something as important as this in the dark?", he said.

However, Mr Turnbull denies his call for the scheme to be put off until 2011 or 2010 will cause momentum to cut pollution to slow.

"I am committed to an effective environmental and responsible economic response to climate change," he said.