Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition is referring to a press report this morning that raised this issue. I would like to refer the Leader of the Opposition to the newsletter of the Shopping Centre Council of Australia, Shop Talk, which has gone out today and which says the following:

Some newspapers are today carrying an exclusive report quoting a retailer claiming that some shopping centre landlords are including a new lease provision passing on the effects of the new carbon tax to retailers.

The newsletter of the Shopping Centre Council of Australia goes on to say that the fact that this clause is actually several years old is clearly not referred to in that article. It goes on to explain that the fact that it is several years old is why it does not directly refer to a carbon tax. It then goes on to say that it was included in leases once debate began about the need for legislative action to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

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