Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion. Labor's carbon tax would push up fuel costs and we need to suspend standing orders so that we can establish just by how much those fuel prices will go up. This is extraordinarily urgent and the reason for suspending standing orders is that in one month's time Australian businesses and consumers are faced with the world's largest carbon tax. We need to suspend standing orders so people have an understanding about how much fuel prices will go up so they can make decisions about pricing in their business. Certainty is required. That is why we need to suspend standing orders. We need to suspend standing orders because, without that clarity, how will businesses be able to price their services and products, how will the households of Australia be able to manage their budgets, and how will those marauding ACCC inspectors threatening a $1.1 million fine on businesses that do the wrong thing in relation to the carbon tax know what they can do if we do not suspend standing orders and get clarity?