John Murphy (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I begin by applauding the member for Blair for bringing this very important matter of public importance before the parliament today. Some of the outrageous and false claims that have been made by the Leader of the Opposition, the shadow minister for climate action, environment and heritage, and other members of the operation are truly appalling.

The truth is that the carbon price will have a modest impact on the cost of living and an increase in the CPI of 0.7 per cent, but you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that. State based regulators have confirmed key aspects of this forecast, but of course you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that. The New South Wales pricing regulator, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, has confirmed Treasury's forecast that electricity prices would rise by $3.30 per week, but of course you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal said that the impact on council rates will be 0.4 per cent, which is less than the Treasury modelling, but of course you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal figures have been confirmed by the New South Wales Liberal government, but you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that.

The Liberal New South Wales local government minister issued a press release showing council rates will rise by 0.4 per cent as a result of the carbon price and that for the average household this is only 6c a week, but you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that. The New South Wales Liberal government has confirmed the Treasury forecast about the modest impact of a price on carbon, but you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that. Our government is providing tax cuts, increases in family payments and other benefits, and all up an extra $10.10 per week, on average, will be delivered through the government's household assistance package. That is $10.10 per week against, in this case, a 6c per week rate rise, but you will never hear the Leader of the Opposition or the member for Flinders say that.

What the opposition leader has said is that the impacts of carbon pricing will be unimaginable. For the last 12 months the opposition leader has been going around the country making numerous false claims designed to engender fear that the carbon price would increase electricity prices by 20, 25 and 30 per cent. That is specifically what he has claimed. That is dishonest. Just last week the Leader of the Opposition said that, as a result of the carbon price, 'Power costs will go up by 20 per cent'. That is dishonest.

It is well known that the opposition cannot add up, and recent claims about the effects of the price on carbon made by the Manager of Opposition Business and the shadow minister for climate action, environment and heritage, amongst others, exceed any previous efforts in the deliberate distortion and misrepresentation of the facts and figures that affect this vital issue. Then they claim that the $3.40 per week that will be due to the price on carbon is some sort—

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