Wong warns US on carbon scam tariffs

THE Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, has warned the United States against introducing "carbon tariffs" to protect American industry, an idea floated earlier this month by the US Energy Secretary, Steven Chu.

Ms Wong said Australia had a "consistent position on trade policy and that is, as a small and open economy, we support open trade".

Mr Chu posed the idea of a tariff on countries that do not have greenhouse gas reduction mandates. It has been backed by the US steel industry, but drew a furious response from China.