Small businesses are set to benefit from the Coalition’s introduction of new laws to repeal the Carbon Tax.
The idea that a punitive electricity tax is the right approach to tackling climate change was unequivocally rejected by the Australian people at the recent election.
Small businesses were hit hardest by the Carbon Tax as they were not given any of the compensation or handouts afforded to larger businesses.
I have been contacted by business owners who told me they feared for the viability of their businesses under the Carbon Tax. They were all operating on a tight margin, in a highly competitive field and were not in a position to simply pass on cost increases to customers.
Repealing the Carbon Tax will lower costs for all local businesses and manufacturers, boost growth, increase jobs and ease cost of living pressures for households.
Scrapping the tax will take the pressure off electricity and gas prices, resulting in a seven to nine per cent saving for small businesses.
Under the repeal legislation, the Carbon Tax will end on June 30, 2014. This will simplify the transition for businesses and give complete certainty about future liabilities.
The Coalition Government will ensure price reductions from repealing the Carbon Tax flow through to small businesses by providing additional resources to the ACCC for enforcement.
We believe the Carbon Tax is the wrong mechanism to tackle climate change. We know that under the Carbon Tax our domestic emissions have been predicted to go up, not down.
The Coalition remains committed to reducing Australia’s emissions by five per cent below 2000 levels by 2020.
We will achieve these targets through an Emissions Reduction Fund – a market-based mechanism for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Through this Fund, we will provide a powerful and direct incentive for businesses across the Australian economy to work with the Government to reduce their emissions.
Another way the Coalition is getting behind local small business is with the Shop Small campaign.
Rather than doing the Christmas shopping online or at big department stores this year, I encourage all local residents to visit our local shopping strips.
Small businesses are the economic life blood our regions and it benefits all members of the community to see them prosper.
Shopping locally is one way we can each do our bit to sustain these businesses and add vibrancy to our local towns.
Media contact: Samantha Robin on 03 5979 3188 or 0427 787 166
Download the related file: Web version – Protecting Small businesses.pdf