Coulton’s Catch-up 25th March
25-March-2011
Last week was the last parliamentary sitting week for six weeks before we head back to Canberra in May for the handing down of the first Gillard Government budget. During this six week break I will be travelling throughout the Parkes Electorate and visiting as many communities as possible, meeting with constituents and attending community and organisation functions. I must admit this is one of the most enjoyable components of my job; the ability to travel and meet the people in the electorate.
If you would like to meet with me along the way I would encourage you to contact my office on 02 6751 1251.
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In Canberra last week I attended the No Carbon Tax Rally which was held on the lawns of Parliament House. The rally saw a strong turnout of concerned people, all of which oppose the Government’s carbon tax. The people who attended this rally were not extremists and not climate change deniers as many Labor MPs ignorantly labelled them. These people are worried about their livelihoods and frustrated by a government that clearly lacks a mandate to impose this tax on Australians.
With over 3000 people in attendance, the Nationals Leader Warren Truss and Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce addressed the rally, reinstating that the Nationals will oppose the carbon tax and highlighted the impacts this tax will have on industry, agriculture, jobs and everyday people.
Lacking detail on what will be the starting price per tonne of carbon, the Government has also failed to rule out the inclusion of the transport industry, which would directly affect every element of our lives, especially in regional and rural areas. With an increase in the price of fuel; groceries, transport and everything we rely on that comes to us by trucks will cost more.
Australia contributes only 1.4% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions and recently, the Government has been preaching that China is now turning into a clean, green country; however the truth is that China is experiencing huge growth in greenhouse gas emissions. China’s coal consumption is forecast to grow from $1.5 billion tones in 2002 to 4 billion tones in 2015 – an increase of 266%.
The Coalition has a credible alternative to achieve emissions reductions that doesn’t involve a carbon tax. The plan which we took to the election is a policy for practical and effective action – the Direct Action Plan. We remain committed to this plan as the most effective and practical way to reduce emissions, without pushing up prices for electricity, petrol and food via a carbon tax and a plan that actually benefits the environment.
We will provide incentives to do real things to cut emissions such as:
o Capturing carbon in soil
o Planting trees
o Cleaning up coal-fired power stations
o Cleaning up gases from coal mines
o Making buildings more energy efficient
Is it worth the slugging the Australian public with a tax of $2000 each a year for a scheme that has no proven environmental benefit?