Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. The government's plan to build a strong and prosperous economy does start with scrapping the carbon tax. Scrapping the carbon tax will be good for jobs, it will be good for businesses and it will be good for families' cost of living, because the carbon tax is a $9 billion a year hit on jobs. It is not surprising, given the fact that this is a $9 billion a year hit on jobs, that unemployment is 110,000 people higher now than it was in July 2012, when the carbon tax was introduced.

The carbon tax, even on the former government's own figures, is a giant handbrake on our economy. Members opposite know, because their figures said so, that our economy by mid century will be $1 trillion smaller—a cumulative $1 trillion smaller—with the carbon tax than without it. It is as though Australia were to close down for a year because of members opposite and their carbon tax.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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