Coulton will oppose “reckless” Carbon Tax
10-October-2011
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has reiterated his opposition to the Gillard Government’s proposed Carbon Tax, labelling it “nothing more than a green gesture”.
“The Carbon Tax will dramatically increase the cost of living, destroy jobs in regional Australia and do absolutely nothing to decrease the level of global carbon emissions. It is nothing more than a tokenistic green gesture.”
"On the government's own figures, 3 million Australian households will be worse off under the carbon tax,” Mr Coulton said.
“Adding a cost to households and business for their impact on the environment will also impact on the economy. People will respond by spending less. Businesses will respond by cutting the number of jobs.”
“However, the people hardest hit will be in regional Australia. It is expected that 120,000 jobs could be lost in regional Australia by 2020. Farmers will have to meet increases on the costs of inputs such as energy, chemicals and fertiliser.”
Mr Coulton expressed his concern with the current state of the global economy and stated this was not the right time to introduce the Carbon Tax on the Australian people.
“This is the worst possible time to be introducing a carbon tax. There is a lot of uncertainty with the global economy. As most countries are turning away from a carbon tax, our Labor-Green-Independent Government is going to impose the world’s most punitive carbon tax on Australian industry, business and people.”
“As former Reserve Bank board member Dick Warburton noted this morning, the carbon tax is ‘not being taken up other countries overseas and as long as that happens then we are going to be at a competitive disadvantage’.” (Radio National Breakfast, 10 October 2011)
“The proposed Carbon Tax is the singularly most important piece of legislation to come before the Australian Parliament. The Government’s insistence on it being rushed through Parliament without allowing full and critical debate is reckless.”
“As the elected representative of the people of the Parkes electorate I will not support a piece of legislation that will wreak so much damage on my constituents.”
“While common sense has evaded much of the argument so far, let us hope for the sake of us all that the realities of the Labor-Green-Independent Government’s Carbon Tax will see its demise.”
“The Independent members Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott have two days left to stand up for their electorates and vote against the carbon tax in Parliament this Wednesday,” Mr Coulton said.