Julia Gillard's unnecessary and costly $9 billion tax will hit families in the Mitchell Community

Monday, 11 July 2011

The Labor-Greens Carbon Tax will drive up prices, threaten jobs, and do nothing for the environment, said the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke.

“Australia’s forgotten families are already struggling and the Carbon Tax will make a bad situation worse with a $515 a year hit on their cost of living,”Mr Hawke said. 

“The people of the Hills will have to pay more for everything under Julia Gillard’s Carbon Tax – the biggest and most punitive Carbon Tax in the world.”

The Carbon Tax means:

·         a $9 billion a year new tax.

·         a 10 percent hike in electricity bills in the first year alone. And that’s just for starters.

·         a 9 percent hike in gas bills in the first year alone. And that’s just for starters.

·         higher marginal tax rates for low and middle income earners.

·         a $4.3 billion hit on the Budget bottom line.

“Millions of middle-income families will be worse off under Julia Gillard’s Carbon Tax,” Mr Hawke said.

“A policeman and a nurse each earning $70,000 a year with one dependent child will, on average, be $230 a year worse off even after compensation. Should this couple do some extra shifts and each earn an extra $5000 a year, that bill will increase to $528. These parents, trying to get ahead and provide for their families, will be penalised by Julia Gillard’s Carbon Tax.

“This go-it-alone Carbon Tax will also impose a heavy cost on Australian industries that their overseas competitors will not face. Australian jobs will be sent offshore for no environmental gain. It will push up the price of electricity, gas, transport and food. Our local small businesses will face increased costs, with no direct support.

“Julia Gillard has betrayed the Australian people. Six days prior to the last election, she said ‘there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead’. The day before the election she said ‘I rule out a Carbon Tax’. The Australian people deserve a say on the Carbon Tax. It should not be introduced before the next election.”

Mr Hawke said there was a better way—the Coalition’s Direct Action plan is a strong and effective policy that will reduce carbon emissions by five percent by 2020 without a new tax. The Coalition’s Direct Action plan is costed, capped, and fully funded from savings to the Budget. Direct Action means no costs to households, no new taxes, and no increase in electricity prices as a result of the policy.

“The Coalition’s commitment to the Australian people is clear—we will do everything in our power to fight this toxic tax. The Coalition will oppose it in opposition and rescind it in government. There must be no Carbon Tax without a mandate,” Mr Hawke said.