Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to thank those members who have contributed to the debate on the Excise Tariff Amendment (Product Stewardship for Oil) Bill 2014 and cognate bill. These bills restore the Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme to being budget neutral over the forward estimates. This fulfils a commitment given by the government in the budget. The Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme offers a benefit for the proper recycling of old oils, funded by a levy on new oils and greases.

This ensures the environmentally sustainable management, refining, re-refining and reuse of used oil and supports the economic recycling options for used oil. The Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme was intended to be self-funding but, in the 2013-14 year, the scheme is estimated to run a deficit of approximately $10 million and this is expected to grow. To ensure the scheme is budget neutral over the forward estimates these bills amend the Excise Tariff Act 1921 and the Customs Tariff Act 1995 to increase excise levy and excise equivalent customs duty on petroleum-based oils and their synthetic equivalents from 5.449c per litre of oil or a kilogram of grease to $8.05c.

These changes ensure the ongoing sustainability of the scheme. The government of course does not support the amendment moved by the opposition. We do not support the passionate defence by the shadow Assistant Treasurer of Labor's carbon tax. Once again, we find ourselves faced with a situation where Labor have attempted, through an amendment to this bill, to once again reassert their complete myopic approach to both economic policy and environmental policy in Australia.

It is quite extraordinary that the Labor Party, through the shadow Assistant Treasurer, have moved an amendment, seeking to once again attempt to justify their approach to their failed carbon tax. This carbon tax, which was the world's largest carbon tax, has put a dampener on economic activity. We saw the consequence, with the election of the coalition government, on consumer confidence. We saw the consequence, with the election of the coalition government, of the then optimistic view of the people of Australia following the successful election of the coalition. Unfortunately, instead of respecting the mandate that the Australian people gave the coalition, almost primary among them the fact that we would repeal the world's biggest carbon tax that was introduced by the Labor Party, we now have the shadow Assistant Treasurer moving an amendment to this bill, attempting to justify the carbon tax, saying that the carbon tax is the right approach to protecting Australia's environment.

We saw only yesterday the President of the United States outline, through the EPA, an approach to dealing with climate change which, virtually in all respects, mirrors the approach of the coalition government. We have seen a sound approach put forward by the environment minister through the Emissions Reduction Fund and through Direct Action to Australia actually making a contribution to improving the environment but not sacrificing Australia's economic competency or our international economic competitiveness as a consequence. The fact that the United States' approach accords with the coalition's approach and the fact that the Australian people recognise that we have a mandate and indeed provided us with the very mandate that we seek to exercise in this parliament just underscores how completely out of touch the Australian Labor Party continues to be.

To have an amendment moved to this bill by the shadow Assistant Treasurer, which attempts to portray the carbon tax as, in some way, shape or form being in Australia's interests just demonstrates that Labor has not learnt a single thing at the last election.

It is even more jarring that the Australian Labor Party earlier today, in numerous debates in this chamber, railed against what they believe to be an attack on the living standards of impoverished Australians and various strata of Australian society and yet in this amendment to the bill actually attempt to defend their approach to the carbon tax, which is imposing on Australian households an additional $550 a year. So, fundamentally, the coalition's approach to this bill is to put us back on a sustainable economic footing.

But, more importantly, the coalition rejects the amendment that has been moved by the Labor Party because it underscores Labor's failed approach. It disrespects the mandate the coalition has with respect to the carbon tax and that is to repeal it. Fundamentally, if Labor's carbon tax stays in place, it simply puts more pressure on battling Australian households, for no environmental benefit whatsoever and, for that reason, we reject the amendment. I commend the bill to the House.

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