Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport) Share this | Hansard source

I must admit that I was struck by the member for Chifley's question before. It seemed like the 'don't mention the war' episode out of Fawlty Towers, only heslipped up and mentioned the carbon tax. 'I did it once but I think I got away with it'. I am sorry to say, Member for Chifley, that the people of my electorate and right throughout Australia do not feel that you are getting away with it. They know what this tax is going to do to their lives. This is a tax, and all the bribes and the slick advertising will not hide the fact that this tax is going to cascade through the economy and have a big impact on regional communities. It is also a tax that your Prime Minister specifically ruled out ever introducing. But I do thank the minister for his answer previously, and I also acknowledge, Minister, that 1 July is the government's policy in relation to contract foreclosure. But the practical reality of the situation is that contract foreclosure negotiations are going nowhere fast, and I think the minister knows that. My community in the Latrobe Valley is suffering right now because of the uncertainty being created by your government's policy. Your government has no plans in place in relation to structural adjustment. Your Minister for Regional Development, Regional Australia and Local Government has acknowledged that as well. There are no guidelines in place for that particular policy, and there is a crisis of confidence going on right now in the Gippsland and Latrobe Valley region which is directly related to the carbon tax policy which the Prime Minister explicitly ruled out in the lead-up to the last election.

I repeat my question from before, Minister. Will the minister deny that government is going to announce an extension of time for its contract foreclosure negotiations?

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