Costa referred to "idiots like Tim Flannery saying it’ll never rain" as he launched into a tirade against the theory of greenhouse gases, reported The Sydney Morning Herald (29/6/07, p. 4).
Saving jobs at cost to household consumers: He said Flannery and others continually came up with "ridiculous propositions" and told Coalition MPs he would not have appointed Mr Flannery Australian of the Year. This week Costa told caucus it should adopt a proposal that would allow big power users such as aluminium smelters to avoid the costs of meeting the Government’s renewable energy targets to "save jobs in Newcastle and Wollongong". Caucus agreed to adopt the renewable energy bill that would enact the change, even though household consumers would pay an extra $15 a year on average to meet the targets.
Costa great climate change supporter?: He acknowledged climate change could bring more rain but overall it would lead to a drier climate. "It [climate change] is demonstrable and scientifically provable and we need to take it into account when we make decisions." On 27 June, when he made a clean coal announcement in question time, Iemma defended Costa’s stance on climate change to opposition interjections. "The Treasurer is great supporter of climate change [sic] and has created a $310 million climate change fund," lemma said.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 29/6/2007, p. 4
