Carbon tax junk mail misleads community
3 August 2011
Households should demand their money back from the Gillard Government for the cost of the misleading Carbon Tax junk mail which is arriving in their letterboxes, said the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke.
$4 million is being spent on the 20 page booklet as part of the government’s $25 million taxpayer funded advertising campaign to sell its Carbon Tax.
“There is strong local opposition to this advertising campaign,” Mr Hawke said. “I have been inundated by calls from the local residents about this waste of taxpayers’ money by the Gillard Government.
“I have been told that local people are returning the Carbon Tax booklet to the Government, and some have been dropped into my office.”
Mr Hawke said the Carbon tax booklet was a desperate attempt from the Gillard Government to sell a tax the community doesn’t want, and didn’t vote for.
“It is a misleading piece of junk mail which should go straight into people’s recycling bins,” Mr Hawke said.
“Prices will go up and up for families. The booklet fails to tell people how electricity costs are expected to rise by 20 per cent.
“It’s deceptive in omitting information about the increase in tax rates. The Gillard Government is giving with one hand and taking with the other.
“Lifting the tax thresholds while at the same time lifting tax rates is not a tax cut, it’s a tax con,” Mr Hawke said.
Mr Hawke said that at the next election, the Coalition will offer tax cuts, without a carbon tax.
“The Gillard Labor Government is forecasting it will spend $3.5 billion in 2020 to buy 100 million tonnes of carbon credits from overseas, rising to $57 billion in 2010 dollars by 2050.
“In short, the tax won’t decrease actual Australian emissions but it will create a permanent black hole in our budget.
“That will do nothing to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions but you won’t find that information in the booklet.
“Australian voters didn’t vote for this Carbon Tax, they didn’t vote for this junk mail, and it’s time Gillard Government stopped this misleading and political advertising campaign,” Mr Hawke said.