AUSTRALIA will not sign an international pledge to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, following a last minute appeal from local MP Andrew Broad who said it would hurt the agricultural industry.
One of the topics so far on the climate talks’ agenda has been government subsidies on the usage of fossil fuels, with New Zealand leading a push to present a communique this Monday encouraging countries to phase them out.
Mr Broad joined fellow Nationals Party members in urging Environment Minister Greg Hunt not to sign the missive, concerned the pledge would affect the multi-billion dollar diesel fuel rebate for farmers and miners.
“I myself contacted Greg Hunt and spoke to him as he was in Paris, and I explained to him how [the pledge] would affect everyday Australians, and he saw the logic in that and decided not to sign it,” he said.
According to Mr Broad, removing the rebate on the diesel excise paid by members of the agricultural or mining industry — among others — would hurt farmers without achieving emissions reductions.
“When you drive a vehicle off-road, like a tractor or a mining vehicle, you get reimbursed for the charges going into the wearing down of that road,” he said.
“The farm sector or the mining sector get a rebate because they’re not wearing down that road [but still paying those charges].
“Some countries would call that a fossil fuel subsidy, but it is not; removing it would not have a positive effect on emissions.”
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (December 4).
