In an extraordinary interview today on The Bolt Report, Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon confirmed that Bill Shorten and the Labor Party would be introducing a carbon tax 2.0.
It was with great hubris that Bill Shorten told the ALP conference on Friday, in words of one syllable, that “the ETS was not a tax.”
Well today, Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon responded to his leader in words of one syllable: yes it is Bill.
When faced with the question on whether Labor’s ETS was in fact a carbon tax, Fitzgibbon stated that, “you can call it a tax if you like”.
A Labor frontbencher has now confirmed that if elected, Labor will introduce a carbon tax – no ifs, no buts.
This admission has all the hallmarks of Julia Gillard's confession that the former Labor Government had also introduced a carbon tax after promising not to:
HEATHER EWART: You do concede it's a carbon tax, do you not?
JULIA GILLARD: Oh, look, I'm happy to use the word tax, Heather. I understand some silly little collateral debate has broken out today. I mean, how ridiculous. This is a market-based mechanism to price carbon.
(Source: 7.30 Report, 24 February 2011)
In addition, when asked about Labor’s plans for a 50% Renewable Energy Target by 2030, Fitzgibbon confirmed that “it’s not a policy – it’s an aspiration” and when asked how much it would cost, he stated “no one knows – that’s the truth of it”.
We also saw in the ALP Conference yesterday that Labor has aligned itself with the Climate Change Authority and supports a massive 60% reduction in emissions by 2030.
No other country in the world has committed to a target this high.
Joel Fitzgibbon has confirmed Labor’s blatant disregard for the Australian people. Their plans will have a triple hit on energy prices for all Australian households and businesses.
Labor must immediately release their modelling on the impact of their latest announcements on electricity prices. Or otherwise they must concede the obvious – that they have imposed massive costs on families without any analysis of the impacts.
As we have always said, we are committed to addressing the issue of climate change in a measured and responsible way. The first auction under our Emissions Reduction Fund delivered 47 million tonnes of abatement – at just one percent of the cost of the original carbon tax.
The Coalition will also be shortly announcing our post-2020 targets which will be strong and credible.
The Coalition is committed to addressing the threat of climate change, but in a measured and reasonable way – and without a massive, triple hit on electricity prices.
(ENDS)