Govt slams Joyce over climate comments

Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce should take back comments on emissions trading comparing environmentalists with Nazis, says the federal government.

But the Nationals say the government is trying to beat up Senator Joyce's
description that helps to reveal the real economic costs of Labor's scheme.
Senator Joyce said the scheme, due to begin in 2010, will drive up unemployment,
homelessness and do nothing to counter climate change.
The outspoken senator warned of the rise of "eco-totalitarianism" and said he would
not be "goosestepping" along with environmentalists.
"Climate change denier, like Holocaust denier, this is the sort of emotive language
that has become stitched up in this (emissions trading) issue," he told ABC Radio on
Wednesday.
The federal government says Senator Joyce has crossed the line and want the comments
to be retracted.
"I would hope that even (opposition leader) Malcolm Turnbull would say that
comparisons with Nazi Germany ... are out of line and should be publicly refuted,"
Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said.
Nationals Leader Warren Truss hit back, accusing the government of ramping up the
comments by inserting the word Nazi.
Mr Burke is bringing an unwarranted level of "emotion and extremism" into the
debate, Mr Truss said.
"Mr Burke should be trying to fix the emissions trading scheme rather than be
critical of those who ask legitimate questions about the way in which the scheme
will operate," he said.
"It is unfortunate that those who question the majority view should be treated as
though they were somehow related to people who were deniers of the holocaust."
Queensland's opposition leader Lawrence Springborg said the comments helped
highlight the faults in Labor's scheme.
"Nobody should be surprised with Barnaby's colourful language and original language,
you always get that from Barnaby and that's fine," he said.
"One thing he's actually addressed...is the cost of this to Australian families, who
are already struggling in very uncertain economic times."
Senator Joyce's comments have also fuelled speculation of a coalition split on
emissions trading.
Malcolm Turnbull, who is yet to announce a position on emissions trading, played
down the differences between the coalition.
He said the coalition would speak with "one voice" on emissions trading.
"We're very committed to action on climate change that is economically responsible
and environmentally effective," he said.
"We work as a very close coalition and I've no doubt that we will be responding to
this legislation with one voice."
The government needs the support of the coalition to pass its scheme through the
Senate or it will have to rely on the Greens and independents.