July 2, 2012
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has welcomed the Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott’s unequivocal guarantee that a new Coalition Government will repeal the carbon tax.
Mr Chester said the Gillard Government had misled voters and was introducing a tax that would reduce the competitiveness of Australian businesses and increase the cost of living for Gippslanders.
“Jobs are already being lost in Gippsland and the Latrobe Valley as a direct result of the carbon tax,” Mr Chester said.
“The uncertainty created by the ‘contract for closure’ policy to shut down power stations is killing confidence in our region and resulting in job losses in small businesses, and that’s before the tax even started on the weekend.
“Julia Gillard’s promises regarding compensation can’t be trusted because this is the Prime Minister who said there would be no carbon tax under the government she leads.”
Mr Abbott posted advertisements on the weekend where he signed a guarantee that he would repeal the carbon tax if he wins office at the next Federal election.
“The carbon tax will be an immediate hit on the household budgets of all Australians,” Mr Abbott said.
“It will play havoc with household budgets as food, electricity, gas and the price of essentials all go up. The impact of this tax will worsen over time – as the carbon tax is legislated to go up and up.
“It will drive high electricity prices up even further with no relief in sight.
“Charities, councils, schools, hospitals, small businesses, community groups, public transport operators, will be among the hardest hit. They will all carry the increased costs of this tax.”
Mr Abbott also predicted the impact of the carbon tax would worsen over time.
“The longer the carbon tax is in place, the worse the impacts will be on families and the economy,” he said.
“That’s why, if elected, I will move quickly to implement the Coalition’s Plan to Abolish the Carbon Tax. It is a plan that starts with action on the first day and sees legislation abolishing the carbon tax introduced into Parliament on the very first sitting day after the election.
“Abolishing the carbon tax is at the heart of the Coalition’s plan to get Australia back on track.
“Unlike the Prime Minister, I mean what I say: there will be no carbon tax under a government I lead.”