Bowen takes his turn in evading policy number

Labor’s treasurer-in-waiting, like its leader, has been unable to put a figure on the economic cost of the party’s climate policies.

Chris Bowen: ‘We can achieve the same impact on the economy but with more emissions reductions because we allow access to inter­national permits,” Mr Bowen said. Picture: Kym Smith

Labor’s treasurer-in-waiting has joined his leader in being unable to put a figure on the economic cost of their party’s climate policies, saying only that they would not do more damage than the government’s initiatives.

Visiting Darwin yesterday, Chris Bowen insisted Labor could do more with less by allowing businesses to offset their emissions by buying carbon credits in overseas markets.

But the party’s Treasury spokesman refused to reveal the projected carbon price needed to model those conclusions or the dollar figure he relied upon in ­pricing the government’s climate initiatives as no less expensive.

“We can achieve the same impact on the economy but with more emissions reductions because we allow access to inter­national permits,” Mr Bowen said.

“We have the most cost-­efficient policy because we allow access to international credits, which the government, in an act of economic vandalism, won’t ­embrace.”

Bill Shorten has been under pressure to reveal the full financial implications of introducing a target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and increasing the numbers of electric cars.

Mr Bowen said the Opposition Leader had been “answering a lot more questions a lot more comprehensively than the Prime Minister of the day”.