Nationals – Brown bells the cat: Power prices will soar if Labor returned

Brown bells the cat: Power prices will soar if Labor returned
16-August-2010
Source: Warren Truss, MP

Greens Leader Bob Brown has confirmed that electricity prices will soar even higher if Labor is re-elected this Saturday.
On radio 5AA today, Mr Brown said a carbon tax would be “the first item on the list when I meet the next Prime Minister after this election”.

Many political observers believe that there is a strong chance the Greens will hold the balance of power in the Senate if Labor is re-elected, while Labor Leader Julia Gillard has stated on a number of occasions her ambition to “put a price on carbon”.

Leader of The Nationals Warren Truss said the only way to kill off the carbon tax and the price hikes it will generate was to vote for the Coalition.

Otherwise, the secret preference deal between Labor and the Greens and their mutual support for a carbon tax meant its introduction was inevitable within three years if Labor wins the Federal election, he said.

“A vote for Labor or the Greens is a vote for a carbon tax and higher electricity prices,” Mr Truss said.

“A vote for The Nationals is a vote to kill of the carbon tax and save your household budget.”

Mr Truss said electricity prices had already gone up by a whopping 34% since Labor was elected, and The Nationals remained flatly opposed to the two ways of imposing a price on carbon – the introduction of a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme (ETS).

“Whatever they call it, it’s a great big tax on everything because it will push up the price of electricity, fuel and other inputs which are used to produce everything that people consume or use for communication or transport,” Mr Truss said.

“There is a better way.

“Our plan for direct action will reduce emissions and improve our environment without punishing every Australian with a great big new tax on everything.

“Our plan provides the opportunity for families and businesses around Australia to be rewarded for reducing emissions. It will improve soil carbon to help soil quality, farm productivity and water efficiency. It will promote the uptake of solar energy and renewable fuels.

“The Nationals are committed to direct and practical action to reducing emissions. Unlike Labor and the Greens we want to help Australian households, not force up their cost of living even higher.”

Fourteen Nationals in a Parliament of 226 led the fight to defeat Labor’s previous attempts to slug Australian households, jobs and business with its great big tax on everything.

For more information on our Direct Action Plan to reduce emissions and improve the environment visit: http://www.nationals.org.au/Policy.aspx.