Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

The amendments to the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) include recognition for food processing and a proposed $150 million support to the $100 billion industry, Australia’s largest manufacturing sector, to reduce emissions, explore energy efficiencies and become more sustainable over the long term.

Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) Deputy Chief Executive Dr Geoffrey Annison said, “We welcome this funding commitment from the Government but the proposed measures don’t go far enough to safeguard the global competitiveness of Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing sector, which is a major exporter and employs 315,000 Australians.”

“Industry is doing its best to become more energy efficient. However the CPRS does not remove the global competitiveness issue for trade-exposed Australian-made goods which would still be more expensive on supermarket shelves compared with imported goods that don’t have a carbon charge,” Dr Annison suggested.

The requirements of the CPRS, once it comes into effect, are going to have an impact on all food businesses and therefore the consumer. The AFGC and others in the industry are concerned about the overall cost increase across the whole of the supply chain as a result of the introduction of the proposed Transitional Electricity Cost Assistance Program, which is a part of the CPRS.

For more information about the CPRS and it’s proposed programs, go to www.climatechange.gov.au