[Peakoil] Howard's climate and oil policies drive car makers' woes

[Antony Barry]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "O'Connor, Cassy (Sen C. Milne)" <Cassy.O'Connor at aph.gov.au>
> Date: 20 December 2006 11:56:30 AM
> To: <media at lists.greens.org.au>
> Subject: [Greens-Media] MEDIA RELEASE: Senator Christine Milne -  
> Howard's climate and oil policies drive car makers' woes
>
> Wednesday, 20 December 2006
>
> HOWARD'S CLIMATE AND OIL POLICIES DRIVE CAR MAKERS' WOES
>
> Australian car manufacturers and workers are the latest casualties of
> the Howard Government's refusal to get serious about climate change  
> and
> declining oil supplies, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson
> Senator Milne said in Hobart today.
>
> Companies like GM Holden, Ford, Toyota and Mitsubishi have read the  
> " no
> worries" oil and greenhouse policy signals from the Bush and Howard
> administrations and have continued to build  big, fuel-guzzling  
> cars for
> government and corporate car fleets while consumers are supporting
> smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.
>
> "Car makers have gone to the Federal Industry Minister Ian McFarlane,
> cap in hand asking for an extra $1 billion, on top of the $4.3 billion
> taxpayer funded subsidy they will receive over the next decade. They
> apparently still cannot see how out of step they are.
>
> "The Prime Minister has spent the past decade propping up business as
> usual; refusing to tie government fleet procurement and public funding
> to fuel efficient design or mandatory fuel efficiency standards.  
> China,
> by contrast, introduced mandatory fuel efficiency standards and is
> globally competitive.
>
> "The Prime Minister has refused to take any action to tackle and  
> prepare
> for climate change, saying it would cripple the economy.   Now we see
> his government's inaction and the industry's short-sightedness is
> crippling the car manufacturing industry and the people who work in  
> it.
>
> "Like the industry, the Government should have seen the  
> inevitability of
> high oil prices and the poor competitiveness on larger vehicles a long
> time ago.  It must now, finally, confront the dual reality of climate
> change and global oil depletion.
>
> "If we are serious about car manufacturing in Australia then any  
> future
> public funding should be contingent on car makers being required to
> dramatically increase fuel efficiency, redesign vehicles and retool
> manufacturing. Australian taxpayers should not continue to subsidise a
> short sighted industry and political incompetence
>
>  "GM Holden, one of the companies begging for more government help,  
> has
> recently moved to import and market the gas-guzzling Hummer 4WD  
> tanks in
> Australia.  This irresponsible marketing decision is an environmental
> and PR blunder for Holden and should disqualify it from any further
> government assistance.
>
> "In contemplating the future of the Australian car industry we should
> take note of the findings of the senate inquiry I instigated into
> Australia's future oil supply. It is clear that while the exact timing
> of the global oil supply 'peak' is uncertain, it is inevitable and  
> near
> enough to require all Governments should be striving to prepare for  
> much
> higher oil prices." Senator Milne said.
>
> Contact:  Cassy O'Connor  03 6234 4566 or 0437 587 562
>
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