During the 2010 election, Labor promised there would be no carbon tax (promises by Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan) then, after the election, this arrogant and inept government proceeds down the course of a toxic carbon tax. Only one member of the House of Representatives, Adam Bandt, campaigned on the introduction of this toxic carbon tax. In all honesty how can Labor, Greens and Labor Independents justify this tax. Clearly it was a sleazy deal between Labor, the Greens and the Independent Labor Members of the House.
If, as the Labor/Green/Independent government claims, this tax is all about addressing global warming, now called climate change, why is it necessary for this tax to raise more revenue in four months than has been raised in the EU in five years. It appears to have more to do with revenue raising than addressing climate change.
Overseas experience has shown that such a tax will destroy industry and jobs, so just how can they justify the destruction of the Australian economy for political purposes. Rather than economic reform, this tax is economic vandalism. The government should be honest with the electorate, renewable energy can’t ,on an economic basis, compete with coal fired power stations nor can it produce baseline power. Wind power requires large areas of land and animal habitat to be destroyed, and then there is a noise factor. Step outside the square and open your eyes, to proceed down the carbon tax path will not only destroy the economy and thousand of jobs, but those of you who are inept enough to support this tax will also be looking for another job after the next election. Remember this will result in the loss of lurks and perks of being in office.
How much of taxpayer funds is to be donated to the UN Green fund?
In an attempt to justify the tax, they claim other countries are going down this same path, one of the nations they often quote being India. Well India doesn’t have a carbon tax, they have a $1 tonne on coal and it has nothing to do with carbon emissions. The Spanish Government has now stopped assistance to renewable energy projects for they realise that the cost to the community is greater than any imagined benefit which may flow.
The purchase of overseas carbon credits will do nothing for the Australian economy but such funds may end up in pockets of corrupt overseas officials for absolutely no reduction in carbon emissions, already reports show the Italian Mafia is cashing in on the scam.
The Government is promising the creation of many thousands of jobs. How can they justify this claim when studies in Spain, Germany and now England have shown that, for each green job created, 3.1 other jobs are lost, so much for their job creation. These studies have also shown that these green jobs are not economically sustainable. The government should release detailed calculations on these jobs to be created, or are these jobs illusionary and a figment of a very vivid imagination.
The British Government has now realised the destructive nature of going down the path of a carbon tax and have recently announced they have abandoned any plans to impose such a tax on the British economy.
In the interest of good government, it should release detailed costing of the impact of this toxic tax upon the electorate. There is no reason for the electorate to be treated like fools, for they are entitled to this information in order that they can make an independent assessment of the impact of such a toxic tax. The release of some statistics without details does nothing to convenience the electorate of the accuracy of their claims nor does it justify this act of economic vandalism.
The Government should inform the electorate if this toxic tax will hinder or assist Australian Industry or are they afraid the facts will not support their campaign of misinformation and lies.
Australia is responsible for approximately 1.4 per cent of the world’s CO2 and the government has promised to reduce our carbon emissions by 5% per cent. How can such a miniscule reduction, (5 per cent of 1.4 per cent) in carbon emissions have any impact on the world’s climate or global warming.
Comments by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard (during Question Time) on a question of compensation for the carbon tax ($10 for pensioners) said, “Pensioners will receive more money than they need.” Does the government and their supporters believe pensioners should live on or below the poverty line, for $10 is not compensation but an insult. Compensation has been calculated without taking into consideration the impact of the GST 10 per cent on top of the tax, so instead of the tax being $23.00 a tonne it is more than $25.00 a tonne, appears like another underhand trick by this inept and dishonest Labor/Green/Independent government.
If, as they want us to believe, a simple tax will solve the problem of global warming, why didn’t some smart government introduce it many years ago.
Pull aside the curtains and you will see that climate change has been around since the creation of the world. Just how will this toxic tax have any impact upon this natural occurrence.
Julia Gillard should remember that democracy is government by the people for the people and not a dictatorship where one or two persons with a single objective of retaining power force their views on the community. The government is presenting 19 bills consisting of 960 pages to the parliament and have allowed very limited time per member for presentations. Not only does this arrogant government ignore the voices of the electorate, they also stifle parliamentary discussion.
Don Campbell
Port Macquarie
