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2009 Australia Federal By-election Higgins - Policy Comparison

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Party key and links to websites:
The Greens
Democrats
Liberal
Liberal Democrats
One Nation
Independent - Stephen Murphy - Climate Sceptic
Independent - Joseph Toscan - Anarchist (not assessed - only has two publicly available policies on website - which is to: 1 Tax the polluters and not to pay the polluter ETS; and 2. Pay workers displaced through climate change emission reduction measures a year's salary capped at $2000 per week.)
Sex Party (not assessed - no climate related policies)
Independent - Peter Brohier (not assessed - various policies, some based around transport, including building the ring road through Greensborough in NE Melbourne)
Democratic Labor Party - John Mulholland (not assessed - no website, though another organisation also claiming to be the Democratic Labor Party claims they are not running a candidate in Higgins)
Note: Links correct at time of original posting.

	Greens	Democrats	Liberal	Liberal Democrats	One Nation	Climate Sceptic
Acceptance
Accepts the science that the current climate change is largely human caused			/
Policy
Separate climate policy
International
Supports the UN lead Kyoto Process
Recognition of international equity issues around climate change
Support for developing and poorer nations to tackle climate change
Goals*	Greens	Democrats	Liberal	Liberal Democrats	One Nation	Climate Sceptic
Carbon DiOxide Stabilisation Goals
300 ppm CO2 or below
Interim target of 350 ppm CO2
Zero Emission Goals
Net negative emissions
Near zero emissions
Zero net emissions
2020 Goals
Zero or negative emissions by 2020
80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2020
60% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2020
40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2020
20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2020
A reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020
2050 Goals
-25% or more reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050
Negative emissions by 2050
Near zero emissions by 2050
Net zero emissions by 2050
80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050
60% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050
Emission reduction mechanisms	Greens	Democrats	Liberal	Liberal Democrats	One Nation	Climate Sceptic
Government designed mandatory reductions
Carbon tax
Carbon trading			/
Energy	Greens	Democrats	Liberal	Liberal Democrats	One Nation	Climate Sceptic
Support crash conversion to renewable based electricity system
Support major role out of renewables
Support minor role out of renewables
Significant support for small small scale renewables
Phase out coal exports
Phase out domestic coal industry
Oppose "clean coal carbon capture and storage"
Remove fossil fuel subsidies
Oppose nuclear power plants				(z.)
Energy efficiency / reduction
Plan to limit energy growth
Plan to promote energy efficiency
Transport	Greens	Democrats	Liberal	Liberal Democrats	One Nation	Climate Sceptic
Near zero emission transport policy
Major improvements in public transport
Minor improvements in public transport
Support high speed rail Link between major cities
Significant improvements in cycling and walking infrastructure
Significant decrease in road spending	(I.)			(a.)
Upgrading and expand rail freight
Support of electric and plug in hybrid vehicles
Supports low emissions car industry
Identifies need to act on issues of oil peak					(x)
Opposes coal to oil and other GHG intensive fuels
Opposes conversion of food to fuel
Land clearing and forestry	Greens	Democrats	Liberal	Liberal Democrats	One Nation	Climate Sceptic
End to land clearing or greenhouse intensification of land use
End to logging of native / old forests				(a.)
Including land clearing and forestry emissions in carbon tax/trading systems				(b.)
Agriculture
Policy to reduce emissions from agriculture
Acknowledgement of the key role livestock and consequently meat and dairy consumption have on emissions				(e.)
Including agricultural emissions in carbon tax/trading systems
Social Justice / Equity	Greens	Democrats	Liberal	Liberal Democrats	One Nation	Climate Sceptic
Social justice elements in plans to address climate change
Social equity elements such as global carbon rationing
Accepting regional climate refugees
Population
Plans to reduce or stabilise population growth					(y)

x. One Nation wishes to open the Great Barrier Reef for oil drilling believing that a few oil tankers would be "far less an eyesore and hazard than hundreds of wind towers."
y. One Nation opposes migration but doesn't talk about population in general.
z. The Liberal Democrats, while prepeditively stating they don't support one energy production type over another, single out nuclear energy f or special treament by devoting an entire section justifying it as a power source. Assumingly if they had done a little research they would find that no nuclear power plant can get private insurance without Government limiting the nuclear industries liability. Assuming they actually believe in their free market philosphy and the rights of the individual not to be indirectly negatively effected by the profit making activities of others, then a private insurance attempt would be a good market based way of assessing the risk and thus financial viability of the nuclear industry. Liberal democrats or simply advocates for big business?
a. The Liberal Democrats support increasing road spending in order to allow people to drive faster at less risk. See their Motor Traffic Brochure.
b. The Liberal Democrats have no understanding of the ecological significance of old growth forests, claiming "over time" a regrowth forest is indistinguishable from and old grwoth forest. The LDP wish to sell the forests to non government interests, while explicity "not supporting" any forest being preserved for pure conservation or "locking up" if sold, but then contradict their own policy by claiming it is the landowner who should choose whether or not to use the land for forestry purposes. See LDP Environment Policy.
c. The Liberal Democrats believe it should be solely up to the landowner whether they clear or maintain native vegetation. See LDP Environment Policy
e. Incidentally the LDP support whaling.
I. The Greens Transport policy includes a call for roads to be made safer. This would require signficant increase in road spending.

Key:
= Especially good policy or goes beyond stated goal.
= Supports
= Does not support or no evidence of support.
= Policy position has negative outcomes that deserve highlighting.
= Policy has very negative outcomes or moves us backwards.
= Yet to be assessed.
* = if goals listed in policy are given in a range, for example 60-80% reduction on 1990, the lower figure is used as the reference point.

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