Midnight Oil

Subject: NMOC: Gaffe-prone Garrett gagged
From: "Chris Frost" <chris.frost@risqgroup.com>
Date: 5/12/2007, 9:25 am
To:


Gaffe-prone Garrett gagged

Article from:  <http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/> The Daily Telegraph
 

By Brad Watts

December 05, 2007 12:00am

FIRST Peter Garrett had the crucial issue of climate change yanked from his
new environment portfolio, now the new Minister has been sidelined from
answering questions on the matter in Parliament.

In a further embarrassment for Mr Garrett, it was yesterday revealed he will
not represent Climate Change Minister Senator Penny Wong during Question
Time in the Lower House.

Questions in the House of Representatives about Senator Wong's role will
instead be fielded by Treasurer Wayne Swan.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson said the extraordinary move showed Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd had no confidence in the gaffe-prone Mr Garrett's
ability as a minister.

"I fail to understand why in fact Prime Minister Rudd does not have the
confidence in Mr Garrett to be taking questions on climate change," Mr
Nelson said.

"It was always very interesting to see Mr Garrett attempt to answer
questions."

Ms Wong leapt to Mr Garrett's defence, saying he had not been gagged: "Peter
has a very clear voice in government, he is a Cabinet minister."

She argued that climate change was as much an economic issue as an
environmental one.

"I think it's quite a good thing, if we reflect that in our representing
arrangements - but I wouldn't read too much into it."

The Government yesterday defended sending a quarter of its Cabinet to the
climate conference in Bali.

Mr Rudd and a record four frontbenchers will attend the UN conference, which
will attract delegates from around 190 nations and is designed to establish
a road map for international climate change action.

Ms Wong said the large Australian delegation highlighted the nation's moment
in the sun on global climate politics following the Government's historic
decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

"That gives us a leadership position and we intend to use that," she said.

"There are meetings specifically for the trade and finance ministers of the
world."

Mr Rudd will lead Australia's delegation. He will be joined by Ms Wong as
well as Mr Garrett, Mr Swan and Trade Minister Simon Crean, who will attend
separate trade and finance meetings over the next fortnight.

"We recognise this as an extremely important conference - Australia has
signalled its intention to play a leadership role," Ms Wong said.

"That really reflects the fact the world is coming to the view that this is
an issue of international economic significance."

The new Government has also committed to introducing a green car fleet. 



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