THE MINERALS Council of Australia’s National Conference on 28 May 2009 was picketed by Canberra residents.
The protesters opposed the Rudd government’s free permits to the country’s biggest polluters, worth $16b.
The picketers called for the government stop supporting polluting industries and recognise the need for a coal-free economy. The group demanded the government re-allocate the $16 billion to green jobs in renewable energy.
According to the Australian Conservation Foundation, Rio Tinto would be the biggest winner under the designed-to-fail Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. It would receive at least $2.8b, despite last year having made a $15.8b profit.
These handouts are unconditional. The companies receiving them have no incentive to reduce future emissions.
The protesters called for this money to be redirected into clean energy sources.
The recent budget gave $2.5b to carbon capture and storage, despite it being an unproven technology, and only $1.5b to solar energy.
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