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2010 Australia Federal election - Policy Comparison

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Party key and links to websites:
Socialist Alliance
The Greens
Democrats
Labor
Liberal
Family First
Christian Democratic party

	Socialist	Greens	Democrats	Labor	Liberal	Family First	Christian Dems
Acceptance
Accepts the science that the current climate change is largely human caused					/
Policy
Separate climate policy				(1.)
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*	Socialist	Greens	Democrats	Labor	Liberal	Family First	Christian Dems
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
5% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2020
5% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 2000 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	Socialist	Greens	Democrats	Labor	Liberal	Family First	Christian Dems
Government designed mandatory reductions
Carbon tax
Carbon trading
Energy	Socialist	Greens	Democrats	Labor	Liberal	Family First	Christian Dems
Support crash conversion to renewable based electricity system
Support major role out of renewables
Support minor role out of renewables
Significant support for 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
Energy efficiency / reduction
Plan to limit energy growth
Plan to promote energy efficiency
Transport	Socialist	Greens	Democrats	Labor	Liberal	Family First	Christian Dems
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		(2.)
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
Opposes coal to oil and other GHG intensive fuels
Opposes conversion of food to fuel
Land clearing and forestry	Socialist	Greens	Democrats	Labor	Liberal	Family First	Christian Dems
End to land clearing or greenhouse intensification of land use
End to logging of native / old forests
Including land clearing and forestry emissions in carbon tax/trading systems
Agriculture
Policy to reduce emissions from agriculture
Acknowledgement of the key role livestock and consequently meat and dairy consumption have on emissions
Including agricultural emissions in carbon tax/trading systems
Social Justice / Equity	Socialist	Greens	Democrats	Labor	Liberal	Family First	Christian Dems
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

1. Julia Gillard's Labor has choosen to avoid having a climate change policy this election by handing that repsonsibility to a group of randomly selected Australians
2. The Green's 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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