E&OE….
Topics: Bill Shorten’s latest plan to hike power bills, Leadbeater possum
GREG HUNT:
What we’ve seen today is Bill Shorten with a plan to drive up electricity prices. It’s a carbon tax, but he doesn’t have the courage to call it that. It’s an electricity tax, and he doesn’t have the courage to admit it. What it is, is an electricity tax, plain and simple, that will drive up the cost of living for families and pensioners, for small businesses and farmers.
We know that when Labor left office they had a $24.30 carbon tax. That was a fixed price. Their own modelling said that in 2020, with a floating price, what he claims is not a tax, it would have been more than 50 per cent higher at $38, and then it would climb to $85 by 2030. In short, the price keeps going up. Under Labor, electricity bills go up. Under us, we’ve seen the greatest reduction in electricity prices in recorded memory.
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
Well what we saw is that Labor’s carbon tax came at a cost per tonne of abatement of over $1300. Under us, we have seen 47 million tonnes, or four times what we saw in reductions under the carbon tax, at one per cent of the cost, at $13.95. In other words, Labor has a plan which doesn’t help the environment, but does hurt families. Labor has a plan which doesn’t help the environment, but does hurt families.
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
…the people and ditch the carbon tax. It doesn’t matter what Bill calls it, it’s an electricity tax, and bills are going up under Bill. Under us, we’ve abolished their electricity tax, we’ve abolished their carbon tax, and electricity prices have seen the greatest reduction in Australian recorded history.
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
If Bill Shorten wants to fight an election on a new carbon tax and higher electricity prices, we’re happy to accommodate him. But he needs to be honest that electricity prices are going up, as the Electricity Supply Association said, “no ifs, no buts”, electricity prices are going up under Labor’s plan.
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
No
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
No.
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
No, absolutely not.
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
I think that the State Government has to make it clear what their plans are in relation to native forests in Victoria. We listed the Leadbeater’s possum as critically endangered, and it’s up to them now to be absolutely clear what their plans are, because I understand that logging has recently commenced in new areas, and I think it’s time for the Labor Government in Victoria to be upfront on their plans.
JOURNALIST:
(Question inaudible)
GREG HUNT:
Thanks a lot, cheers Melissa.
(ENDS)