Labor Waste

Media Release – Senator Mathias Cormann

Julia Gillard is delaying the release of her carbon tax design and costings until after the Budget to avoid the scrutiny of Senate Estimates during two weeks of hearings scheduled for late May 2011.

“These will be the last Senate Estimates hearings before the government takes control of the Senate with the support of their alliance partner,” Shadow Assistant Treasurer Mathias Cormann said.

“If Julia Gillard didn’t have anything to hide she would commit to the release of the full costings of the carbon tax in the Budget,” he said.

“She would release any assessments of the expected impact of her carbon tax on the economy and jobs as part of the Budget.

“That would be the normal Budget practice,” he said.

“She won’t do it, because she knows that exposure of her carbon tax details to the sustained scrutiny of two weeks of Senate Estimates would further expose the deep flaws of her proposals,” he said.

“Excluding the carbon tax rate, expected revenue and any related spending measures from the Budget makes this year’s Budget completely meaningless.

“Labor’s carbon tax is supposed to come into operation on 1 July 2012.

“That’s the same day as Labor’s other flawed tax, the mining tax, is supposed to get underway.

“Yet the mining tax revenue estimates have been included in the Budget for nearly a year now.

“That’s because Labor was desperate to include the expected cash from the mining tax in the Budget as soon as possible to help create the illusion of an early surplus in the lead-up to the last election.

“So what have they got to hide when it comes to the carbon tax?

“Julia Gillard must know that her carbon tax will push up the cost of everything, make Australia less competitive internationally and cost jobs – all this without helping to reduce global emissions.

“It is time for the Prime Minister to be honest and upfront with the Australian people about all of the details of her carbon tax,” Shadow Assistant Treasurer Mathias Cormann said.

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