Barry Haase (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 16 August 2010, the Prime Minister said, 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead.' On 13 September 2011, the Prime Minister said:

… the best way is to make polluters pay by putting a price on carbon. So that is the policy of the Government I lead. And that is the plan which is before the House now.

…   …   …

Today we move from words to deeds. This Parliament is going to get this done. There will be a price on carbon from 1 July 2012.

In 13 months to the day, almost, what an about-face! During her speech in parliament to introduce the toxic tax, Ms Gillard said:

I firmly believe no stone remains unturned, no voice unheard.

Prime Minister, no stone has been turned and no voice has been heard in Durack. Previously, the Prime Minister said that she would wear out her shoe leather explaining the government's carbon tax. On 8 July 2011, I sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting her to visit Durack to explain the carbon tax. I even gave her a list of 25 towns to choose from. As yet, I have had no reply.

It is truly hard to fathom how the powerhouse of the nation, the electorate of Durack, is not deemed to be worth a scratch on the shiny leather shoes of Ms Gillard. This is further evidence of a government not listening to the people of Australia. The federal Labor government is like the proverbial bull at a gate: ramming through parliament a toxic tax for which they have no mandate. Five months of committees and an election saw the introduction of the GST, yet we have had no reasonable consultation for the carbon tax. This government has a record of monumental incompetence when it comes to program delivery, and that is why there must be proper scrutiny of this massive change to our economy. Scrutiny of the 18 pieces of legislation is not something the current government is allowing the people of Australia. The Labor government has given opposition members an average of one minute per member per bill for debate. This is not genuine debate and it is certainly not in accord with the concept of democracy. We have seen the debacles that are this government's programs: home insulation, Green Loans, GroceryWatch, cash for clunkers and the doomed education revolution that wasted money hand over fist. We have seen the waste and the rorting. We were told: 'Everything's in hand; don't worry. Let us get on with the job.' We did, and look what happened. This government and taxpayers' money do not make for frugal economics. If there is one single most significant thing this government could do today for manufacturing, retailing—for so many sectors of the economy that are under pressure—it would be to stand by its promise and drop this massive economy-wide tax. We have the most incompetent government introducing the most complex new tax. That is clearly a recipe for disaster. Analysis by the Western Australian Treasury shows that over half of WA households will be worse off under the carbon tax, clearly showing that the Gillard government's proposed compensation will not fully compensate households for an increase in the cost of living. If this government has any mandate, it is a mandate not to introduce this carbon tax.

Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was loathe to interrupt the honourable member for Durack, but I would commend to him the provisions of standing order 64: he ought to refer to the Prime Minister by her title.