Bill Shorten is dodging questions on increasing electricity prices under his plan to bring back the carbon tax.
A survey of households in Victoria, NSW and Queensland released by Ernst & Young today shows that one in eight Australians missed an electricity bill payment in the past 12 months because they could not afford it.
Bill Shorten’s plan to reintroduce the carbon tax will only make this worse.
Over the weekend, Bill Shorten confirmed Labor’s commitment to the carbon tax. He wants to take this policy to the next election and inflict the painful carbon tax on Australian families once again.
Today on Sky News, Bill Shorten dodged questions on whether his carbon tax would hike up prices for Australian families.
DAVID SPEERS:
Ok, but I’m just asking about your plans for a carbon price. I know they haven’t been formulated for finalised…
BILL SHORTEN:
That’s right, they haven’t.
DAVID SPEERS:
… but will what you do necessarily mean higher electricity prices, the whole point, I suppose, of having a price on carbon?
BILL SHORTEN:
You know that we haven’t finalised our policies.
Bill Shorten is dodging the question because he knows the truth. He knows his carbon tax would hurt Australian families.
In Labor’s last budget they predicted a $38 price for their carbon price – 50% higher than the fixed carbon tax.
Bill Shorten’s carbon tax make would it even tougher for families to afford to pay their electricity bills and put Australian jobs at risk as companies struggle to be cost competitive.
During its two years in operation, Labor’s carbon tax caused $15.4 billion of damage to the Australian economy.
The Coalition scrapped Labor’s carbon tax to deliver relief to Australian families and business – and this relief flowed through straight away.
Electricity and gas prices have a fallen across the country. This is great news for families and small business.
In Victoria, power bills have fallen by up to 12.4 per cent.
In New South Wales – power bills are up to 10 per cent lower.
In Western Australia – up to 9.8 per cent lower.
In Queensland – up to 9.4 per cent lower.
In Tasmania – up to 9.4 per cent lower.
In South Australia – up to 8 per cent lower.
In the ACT – up to 11.5 per cent lower.
Bill Shorten wants to take away these savings.
Unlike Labor, the Government is committed to tackling climate change without a multi-billion dollar carbon tax that drives up the cost of living.
You just can’t trust Labor when it comes to the carbon tax.
(ENDS)