March 23, 2011
A protest rally on the steps of Federal Parliament has been told that regional workers, including Gippslanders, will bear the brunt of the Gillard Labor Government’s proposed carbon tax.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester attended the rally where more than 3000 protestors urged the Opposition parties to reject the new tax.
“The protestors were angry that Julia Gillard had lied to them before the election and they made it clear that the proposed new tax would have a severe impact on their jobs and cost of living,” Mr Chester said.
“Gippsland workers don’t want the household assistance package that has been promised, they want to keep their jobs.
“Under this proposed new tax, Australian businesses will be made less competitive than their international counterparts and jobs will be shipped overseas.
“Our power industry and manufacturing sector would suffer the most, but the effect of the tax would cascade through all small businesses.
“Even if the agriculture sector is excluded from the carbon tax, all of the inputs into a farm business and other small businesses will have an impact on the budget bottom line and put jobs at risk in Gippsland.”
Leader of The Nationals Warren truss told the rally that regional families would be severely affected by the carbon tax.
“If the point of the carbon tax is to curb demand by making everyday goods and services more expensive, and thereby force people to go without, then promises to compensate families for those soaring costs simply make no sense,” Mr Truss said.
“The government’s sales pitch is to slug you with one hand, then compensate you with the other. Australians know when they are being sold a lemon and that’s why people felt moved to join the protest.
“Higher costs imposed on Australian industry and our farmers will simply make Australian industry less competitive – our jobs will be exported to countries which don’t have a carbon tax.”