Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson wants Australia to fall behind other countries on emissions trading and take Australia back to the Howard era, Greens leader Bob Brown says.
Dr Nelson yesterday said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should put back the government's 2010 date for implementing a carbon emissions trading scheme.
Under Labor's schedule, Australia risked losing billions of dollars in new investment and should not lay out its response until the world's major emitters met in Copenhagen next year, Dr Nelson said.
Senator Brown today accused Dr Nelson of again changing his position on carbon emissions trading, saying he now advocated a delay to at least 2011 or even later, depending on the response of other countries.
"In other words, Brendan wants to lead from behind, to keep us right back there where the Howard government was and not make moves unless all countries involved are taking the lead," Senator Brown told reporters in Sydney.
It seemed Dr Nelson wanted to extend the timeline further, he said.
"Brendan Nelson is more and more counting himself and the coalition out of a responsible debating process and negotiating process in the Australian parliament ... It would be good if he could make up his mind.
"The problem for Brendan is he is not listening to the scientists who have led the world in pointing out the catastrophic results of sitting on your hands."
