Federal Government proposes a price on carbon.

[Tassie Blues]

One thing I haven't heard much about is which 500 companies will be hit with the tax?

So I had a bit of a look and found this article which sheds some light on the question.

and how many of these 500 companies are going to absorb the cost of this carbon tax? none all going to be on charged to every australian not sure how far my $6 tax cut is going to strech.

[Q.]

So zero out of 500 companies will not look for a competitive advantage? Doubt it.

[southee]

Naive

[Tassie Blues]

So zero out of 500 companies will not look for a competitive advantage? Doubt it.

the competitive advantage they will take is everyone is going to put up prices so why shouldnt we and keep the boards and shearholders happy.

milk should go up by 1.2 cents so the supermarkets will add 10-20 cents and say oh well its the carbon tax.

[Tassie Blues]

i am in the travel industry and airlines are already putting up airfares by $7-$10 and the carbon tax hasnt even got through parliment yet

[Dutchy]

If Julia believes in this so much why doesnt she call an early election and let the people decide?

Because, currently, they would get smashed.

Exactly, putting herself and her party in front of the country, and with probably the biggest dud of an opposition leader the Liberals have ever had she is still struggling for any support.

I heard she visited her electorate yesterday to sell the CT, that about explains it all

[redandblack]

Yes, she would get smashed at the moment and probably will when the election is called.

That's the whole point of our Constitution having elections every three years, so that governments can govern and make tough decisions, without having to be threatened with an election whenever Rupert Murdoch and his shock-jocks decide one is necessary and his readers dutifully follow suit.

International opinion on the carbon tax has been highly favourable.

Presumably those opposed to the carbon tax either don't believe the scientists about global warming, or don't think we should do anything about it.

An election to change government would bring in an Opposition with exactly the same emissions reduction target as the current government. The costs of this to everyone is estimated at $750 per person, so how is an an election going to help anyway?

[wycbloods]

i am in the travel industry and airlines are already putting up airfares by $7-$10 and the carbon tax hasnt even got through parliment yet

I suppose that is Gillard's fault then.

[redandblack]

Companies who put up prices unfairly will be subject to large fines.

[Dutchy]

Gillard rules out imposing carbon tax August 17, 2010

Julia Gillard has said there will be no tax on carbon while she leads the federal government.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Wayne Swan, said last week that if Labor won the election there would be no carbon tax during its three-year term.

Ms Gillard seemed to go a step further yesterday. ''There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead,''
she told Network Ten. ''What we will do is we will tackle the challenge of climate change.''Advertisement: Story continues below The Prime Minister boasted that Labor had invested ''record amounts'' in solar and renewable technologies.

''Now I want to build the transmission lines that will bring that clean, green energy into the national electricity grid,'' she said.

AAP



And she wonders why 2/3rds of Australia cant stand her....

[redandblack]

Well Dutchy, if she had won government in her own right, she would have gone straight to an emissions trading scheme, which she made clear was her policy.

There was just the small fact that to form government, whoever persuaded the independents and The Greens to back them would have had to compromise.

If Tony Abbott had persuaded them, do you think he would have had to compromise on his policies?

If not, why not?

Are you also saying that in the history of Australian politics, she's the only politician to break an election promise



"JULIA Gillard says she is prepared to legislate a carbon price in the next term as part of a bold series of reforms that include school funding, education and health.

In an election-eve interview with The Australian, the Prime Minister revealed she would view victory tomorrow as a mandate for a carbon price, provided the community was ready for this step.

"I don't rule out the possibility of legislating a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, a market-based mechanism," she said of the next parliament. "I rule out a carbon tax."

This is the strongest message Ms Gillard has sent about action on carbon pricing."

The difference is that she had to compromise, as Tony Abbott would also have to have done.

[Squawk]

Presumably those opposed to the carbon tax either don't believe the scientists about global warming, or don't think we should do anything about it.

OR

think that we aren't ready for one just yet

OR

think that the mechanism being implemented is the wrong model to apply

OR

would like to properly understand the alternative models proposed by the major parties before making a decision at the ballot box

OR

think that this is in fact a Greens and/or independent's policy that has had to be implemented in return for the Greens and Independents siding with Labor to form a minority govt.

OR

they think something else altogether.

[Sky Pilot]

I think countries that tolerate tidal waves, volcanic ash and earthquakes happening on their turf should be taxed

[Squawk]

I think countries that tolerate tidal waves, volcanic ash and earthquakes happening on their turf should be taxed

LMAO

we 'tolerated' floods and we got a flood tax

[Dutchy]

Id rather concentrate on what has happened and on what basis she got voted in on.

To many "ifs" in your post R&B

[Squawk]

Id rather concentrate on what has happened and on what basis she got voted in on.

Why doesn't Julia just come out and say that if she had been voted in in her own right as a majority govt, there wouldn't be a carbon tax as promised, and that this step towards an emission trading scheme is part and parcel of the Labor Coalition with the Greens and Independents in a minority govt. ???

[redandblack]

Well, Dutchy, there was only one 'if', backed up by evidence.

No problem, though, you're happy to hang her for that, but the alternative is on record as saying he also tells lies, so only believe him if you get it in writing

The previous Pm was on record as saying keeping his promises depended on whether they were 'core' or 'non-core' promises

Seems that different politicians are judged by different standards?

Squawk, mate, nearly all of that definitely comes under the "don't think we should do anything about it" label

[Sky Pilot]

Id rather concentrate on what has happened and on what basis she got voted in on.

Why doesn't Julia just come out and say that if she had been voted in in her own right as a majority govt, there wouldn't be a carbon tax as promised, and that this step towards an emission trading scheme is part and parcel of the Labor Coalition with the Greens and Independents in a minority govt. ???

I think that she needs to save face and not admit that the Greens and Independents run the show because this would not please Labor' heartland even though I bet they privately know it is the case.

[redandblack]

Id rather concentrate on what has happened and on what basis she got voted in on.

Why doesn't Julia just come out and say that if she had been voted in in her own right as a majority govt, there wouldn't be a carbon tax as promised, and that this step towards an emission trading scheme is part and parcel of the Labor Coalition with the Greens and Independents in a minority govt. ???

Good post, S.

I agree totally (but she is battling a demonisation of The Greens by the Murdoch media).

You're right, though, I think she's been badly advised on this and several other things.

[Ronnie]

The question of what this tax will actually achieve is separate to whether you believe in climate change or not.

One massive problem with all this, this tax will achieve, as an outcome...absolutely nothing!

What are the arguments in favour of it?
That Australia has to do it's fair share and even lead the way in this area?

Nothing but moral smugness in that belief. We are nothing but a speck in the overall scheme of things.
China alone would replace any reductions in a matter of months. The tax is set too low anyway to make any discernable difference.

The big polluters will change their ways?
Naive belief in the extreme. Besides, acceptable alternatives are currently nowhere near to delivering for our needs. We don't currently have an alternative base load supply for us.

If they were serious about this policy area they would ban exports of coal etc and two, look at the nuclear option.

The first option is economic suicide, the second would destroy the Green side of the current minority government.

So we end up with this money shuffle around the place, in the process running the risk of economic damage.

Labor would not even be doing this if they weren't in bed with Greens. But when you lay down with dogs...