Fiona Scott (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. I remind the minister that the New South Wales Treasurer estimates the carbon tax cost to schools and hospitals in my state of New South Wales is $46 million a year.

Mr Bowen interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon is warned.

Fiona Scott (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is money that could otherwise be spent on educating our children and treating the critically ill. Why is it crucial to remove this tax from essential services as quickly as possible?

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

May I congratulate the member for Lindsay on a famous victory—in particular, all done without a Julia Gillard tattoo. The member for Lindsay is absolutely right. States and territories have been slugged, in terms of their services, with the carbon tax. Last week, we learned that Victoria had a $13½-million-a-year electricity and gas bill as a consequence of the carbon tax on their hospitals. Yesterday, the South Australian government confirmed a $10-million-a-year hit on their hospitals, their schools and their police stations in their Mid Year Budget Review—and they have already banked the savings from the repeal.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton was warned before. One more and he is out.

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

Today, however—sadly—the news is worse. In the case of New South Wales the figures, according to the New South Wales Treasury, are a $46-million-a-year hit on their hospitals and their schools. That is a hit of $26 million a year, at an average of $120,000 per hospital, on the health system. Hospitals such as the Nepean Hospital in Lindsay and world-leading hospitals such as Westmead Children's Hospital or St Vincent's Hospital, with its extraordinary cancer services, are being hit with higher electricity and gas costs as a result of the carbon tax. The carbon tax bill for schools in New South Wales is $20 million—schools like Mulgoa Primary School and Castlereagh Primary School are paying an average of $9,100 a year.

Against that background of a carbon tax on hospitals and schools and police stations, who supports the current carbon tax? Is there one brave soul who will stand up and support the carbon tax which they voted in and which came in less than 18 months ago? We heard today that the member for Lilley is alive and well. I am glad. He was the one who said only a few years ago that it would be hilarious if Labor brought in a carbon tax. It was not hilarious, but they did bring it in. Good old Mr Hilarity! We have here the member for Corio who told us that we had a mandate to remove the carbon tax. He clearly does not believe it. What about the Leader of the Opposition, who wants to terminate the carbon tax? Sadly, Prime Minister, he is not the terminator—although he did terminate two prime ministers. He is the inflator, because under his carbon tax the price was to go from $24 to $38 on Labor's own modelling. We will remove the carbon tax; we will take the pressure off hospital services; and we will take the pressure off school services. (Time expired)

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Rankin is asking his maiden question, but he is also been out on standing order 94(a). He is a quick learner, I hope.