Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Solomon. It is true that in addition to the $234 which families will receive from Power and Water Corporation in Darwin following the abolition of the carbon tax and the average $761 which, according to Power and Water Corporation, small businesses owners in Darwin will receive following the abolition of the carbon tax, there are also benefits to council ratepayers not just in Darwin but around Australia. In Darwin, though, there is an immediate $29 benefit, which is being paid back. Beyond that, Darwin City Council has said there will be a reduction in landfill charges of $20 a tonne going forward for every deposit made.

It is more than just Darwin. Remember, these are reductions which the ALP wants to reverse at the next election. In the electorate of Bowman, the Redland City Council landfill charge has already been reduced by $15.85 per tonne and there has been a refund to every ratepayer of $38.48. Labor wants to take those charges away and add them at the next election. In Logan, in the electorate of the member for Forde, we are seeing a refund of $800,000 to ratepayers. It is not just in coalition electorates that this is happening. Maitland council, in the electorate of the member for Hunter, has already provided a $29.45 domestic waste rebate to residents and a $38.50 per tonne landfill charge reduction. In the City of Glen Eira, the member for Hotham may be interested to know, there is a $37 rebate to residents of her electorate. The member for Melbourne Ports also has constituents within Glen Eira. Those opposite all want to reverse these rebates. Every one of them wants to reverse the savings. We have been talking about the electricity and gas savings that have gone to consumers. The Leader of the Opposition told us none of these rebates would occur. They have all occurred. We see that in councils now, right around the country, the reductions which they said would never occur are occurring.

Ms Collins interjecting—

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