Turnbull government accused of forcing up power prices through climate backdown

Malcolm Turnbull - confusion
on climate scheme is
forcing up power prices.

The government faces accusations that it is forcing up electricity prices and reducing energy reliability after abandoning a plan to even consider a climate scheme that experts say could have tackled both.

In a torturous press conference, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed that the government had been forced into a U-turn on climate-change policy less than 48 hours after releasing details for a policy review next year.

After two days of vocal criticism from several Coalition backbenchers, the government dropped plans for the review to consider an emissions intensity scheme for the electricity sector - a form of carbon pricing - to help it meet its climate targets.

Mr Turnbull denied such a scheme had ever been part of the review. "We will not be imposing a carbon tax and we will not be imposing an emissions trading scheme, however it is called," he said.

Read the story by Adam Morton and Health Aston in today’s Melbourne Age - “Turnbull government accused of forcing up power prices through climate backdown.”