Gillard believes that carbon price means better market opportunities for Australia
Prime Minister Julia Gillard made known her deep intents to include carbon price as a hallmark of her governance, underscoring the pressing importance of the measure not only for the whole duration of her leadership but also for the immediate future of Australia.
In a self-penned article published by The Age on Wednesday, Ms Gillard argued that carbon price is a choice set to be made by all Australians with crystal consequences and responsibilities attached with it.
Adopting the measure, according to the prime minister, should mean the introduction of more business initiatives, influx of investments, technological innovations and the generation of more jobs for every Australians in eras ahead.
On the other hand, Ms Gillard warned that abandoning the cause would result to a limbo in economic policy, rising energy costs and the bleeding away of job growth opportunities, which could have been delivered by emerging green industries such as the liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal seam gas (CSG) sectors.
Ms Gillard was bold enough to acknowledge that carbon price and climate change concerns have become forefront concerns not only for Australia but for the rest of the global economies despite the decision of the United States to steer away from carbon trading.
The emerging trend, according to her, points to bold economic reforms anchored on sensible climate concerns that could bring about further development of greener energy forms in lieu of the carbon-intensive power generations that currently fuel the global industries.
Picking up from the supportive voices of the Coalition on carbon pricing, Ms Gillard stressed that a market-based approach in implementing global carbon prices is the sure-fire means that would dramatically bring down carbon emissions.
Her article touched on the magic that could be unleashed by the 'genius of free market' as Ms Gillard asserted that carbon price is only poised to encourage the dynamics of a free market economy.
Ms Gillard also hinted that coal-powered energy sources could eventually give way as the world slowly realises the folly of carbon pollution, pointing out that "just because the dominance of coal has been the status quo, it does not mean it should remain the status quo."
Currently, the electricity industry is the main culprit in carbon pollution as it emitted close to 35 percent of Australia's carbon emission yet the country depends much on coal-powered electricity generations with up to 82 percent of its national power needs derived from coal sources.
That could change soon as the prime minister appeared adamant in pushing for the imposition of carbon price, which she argued should better serve the electricity needs of Australia now and into years ahead.