Roll call of shame as carbon tax passes HoR
12th October, 2011
“HISTORY’S page, at every stage, is supposed to advance Australia fair, but today it records treachery as an Australian government deliberately sets this nation on a course to weaken our economy, strip it of its competitive edge and shed tens of thousands of Australian jobs,” Leader of The Nationals Warren Truss lamented today.
“Today a government bereft of legitimacy, cobbled together out of expediency and self-interest, without a mandate or a soul, has imposed the will of a very few on an entire nation.
“The gloating of Bob Brown, the self-congratulation of Messrs Oakeshott, Windsor and Wilkie, and the celebration of Julia Gillard and her cohorts only serve to inflame the betrayal felt by ordinary Australians across the length and breadth of this country.
“That betrayal is now complete at the hands of people’s so-called representatives. The carbon tax will go down in history as a hatchet job on Australian democracy – flying in the face of overwhelming public opposition and condemnation.
“Lies paved the path to The Lodge for this Prime Minister. The Australian people were assured there would be no carbon tax under a government this Prime Minister leads.
“In the lead up to today’s vote those words have snapped at her heels, but from this day forth they will dog her and her government to their electoral graves.
“Today that base betrayal is etched into the psyche of every Australian. They will not forget nor forgive, and they will have their day of retribution on this government.
“So much, too, for her ‘community consensus’. That was another pledge quickly dumped. In fact, the only consensus this Prime Minister has rallied around her carbon tax is a resounding ‘no’ from the Australian people.
“She vowed to wear out her shoe leather, and she did… doing a runner from outraged Australians. Her bid to convince Australians on her carbon tax lasted about three news cycles.
“The Australian people have been shut out, ignored and treated with distain by this Prime Minister.
“The public did not expect this tax, they have been denied the opportunity to vote on it, and since the last election they have made their displeasure plain.
“History will damn this government, reserving a special place in the annals of time for this Prime Minister, condemned by her own words.
“Our international competitors will be salivating… gearing up for a feast in picking off our export markets and flooding us with their cheaper carbon tax-free products.
“I don’t know which is sadder. That another chapter has been added to Labor’s hefty tome of ineptitude and betrayal, or that we’re hardly surprised anymore?
“Enshrining deception and betrayal in legislation was met with cheers, applause and back-slapping from Labor, the Greens and Independents.
“In Australian living rooms they will soak up this news with anxiety, confusion and sombre disbelief. Mums and dads will be worried, dismayed at inevitable higher prices for everything and the knowledge that tens of thousands of Australian jobs – perhaps their own – are now in real jeopardy.
“Amidst the government’s jubilation over inflicting the biggest carbon tax in the world on Australian businesses and families, I wonder if any of the 74 ‘aye’ votes today will bother to consider those people, their fears and the uncertain futures of their families.
“Judging by the unseemly self-congratulations, the hooting, hollering and high-fives earlier today, I doubt it.
“If tyranny is an abuse of power by a few over the will of the people, then in Australia today it has found a new home.”
Mr Truss added that the 74 MPs who voted for the carbon tax deserve to be named, shamed and held to account for their actions. They are:
Labor:
* Adams, The Hon Dick, Member for Lyons
* Albanese, The Hon Anthony, Member for Grayndler
* Bird, Ms Sharon, Member for Cunningham
* Bowen, The Hon Chris, Member for McMahon
* Bradbury, The Hon David, Member for Lindsay
* Brodtmann, Ms Gai, Member for Canberra
* Burke, Ms Anna, Member for Chisholm
* Burke, The Hon Tony, Member for Watson
* Butler, The Hon Mark, Member for Port Adelaide
* Byrne, The Hon Anthony, Member for Holt
* Champion, Mr Nick, Member for Wakefield
* Cheeseman, Mr Darren, Member for Corangamite
* Clare, The Hon Jason, Member for Blaxland
* Collins, The Hon Julie, Member for Franklin
* Combet, The Hon Greg, Member for Charlton
* Crean, The Hon Simon, Member for Hotham
* Danby, Mr Michael, Member for Melbourne Ports
* D’Ath, Mrs Yvette, Member for Petrie
* Dreyfus, The Hon Mark, Member for Isaacs
* Elliot, The Hon Justine, Member for Richmond
* Ellis, The Hon Kate, Member for Adelaide
* Emerson, The Hon Dr Craig, Member for Rankin
* Ferguson, Mr Laurie, Member for Werriwa
* Ferguson, The Hon Martin, Member for Batman
* Fitzgibbon, The Hon Joel, Member for Hunter
* Garrett, The Hon Peter, Member for Kingsford Smith
* Georganas, Mr Steve, Member for Hindmarsh
* Gibbons, Mr Steve, Member for Bendigo
* Gillard, The Hon Julia, Member for Lalor
* Gray, The Hon Gary, Member for Brand
* Grierson, Ms Sharon, Member for Newcastle
* Griffin, The Hon Alan, Member for Bruce
* Hall, Ms Jill, Member for Shortland
* Hayes, Mr Chris, Member for Fowler
* Husic, Mr Ed, Member for Chifley
* Jones, Mr Stephen, Member for Throsby
* Kelly, The Hon Dr Mike, Member for Eden-Monaro
* King, The Hon Catherine, Member for Ballarat
* Leigh, Dr Andrew, Member for Fraser
* Livermore, Ms Kirsten, Member for Capricornia
* Lyons, Mr Geoff, Member for Bass
* Macklin, The Hon Jenny, Member for Jagajaga
* Marles, The Hon Richard, Member for Corio
* McClelland, The Hon Robert, Member for Barton
* Melham, Mr Daryl, Member for Banks
* Mitchell, Mr Rob, Member for McEwen
* Murphy, The Hon John, Member for Reid
* Neumann, Mr Shayne, Member for Blair
* O’Connor, The Hon Brendan, Member for Gorton
* O’Neill, Ms Deb, Member for Robertson
* Owens, Ms Julie, Member for Parramatta
* Parke, Ms Melissa, Member for Fremantle
* Perrett, Mr Graham, Member for Moreton
* Plibersek, The Hon Tanya, Member for Sydney
* Ripoll, Mr Bernie, Member for Oxley
* Rishworth, Ms Amanda, Member for Kingston
* Rowland, Ms Michelle, Member for Greenway
* Roxon, The Hon Nicola, Member for Gellibrand
* Rudd, The Hon Kevin, Member for Griffith
* Saffin, Ms Janelle, Member for Page
* Shorten, The Hon Bill, Member for Maribyrnong
* Sidebottom, Mr Sid, Member for Braddon
* Smith, The Hon Stephen, Member for Perth
* Smyth, Ms Laura, Member for La Trobe
* Snowdon, The Hon Warren, Member for Lingiari
* Swan, The Hon Wayne, Member for Lilley
* Symon, Mr Mike, Member for Deakin
* Thomson, Mr Kelvin, Member for Wills
* Vamvakinou, Ms Maria, Member for Calwell
* Zappia, Mr Tony, Member for Makin
Independents:
* Oakeshott, Mr Robert, Member for Lyne
* Wilkie, Mr Andrew, Member for Denison
* Windsor, Mr Tony, Member for New England
Greens:
* Bandt, Mr Adam, Member for Melbourne
[ENDS]
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