Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. I refer to an email from Stephen Brockwell, of San Remo Fishermen's Co-Operative, advising that since the repeal of the carbon tax the cost of re-gassing his ice machine has fallen from $360 per kilo to $85 per kilo. Will the minister update the House on how much families and businesses in our communities are saving following the removal of the world's biggest carbon tax, and are there any threats to this approach?

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The member for Perth will desist.

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

I thank the member for McMillan, who is not only an outstanding local member and neighbour, but he also cast an outstanding vote to repeal the carbon tax. He delivered lower electricity prices, lower gas prices and, yes, lower refrigerant prices for his constituents in Pakenham, in Wonthaggi and in Drouin. For Mr Brockwell, whom he mentioned, there was a reduction in the cost of R404A for his ice machine from $360 a kilo down to $85 a kilo. That is a significant reduction. For the cost of re-gassing the ice machine, for 10 kilograms, that is about $2,750 in savings for the local fishing cooperative.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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

The member for Moreton is warned!

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

But it is not just the fishing cooperative. For his constituents in the electorate of McMillan, the member for McMillan helped to deliver a reduction in the cost of air-conditioning of $205 every time they wanted to re-gas with refrigerants. For a passenger vehicle there was a $20 saving. If you were running a milk truck in an electorate which has significant volumes of milk and dairy, it was a $580 reduction. These are real reductions for small businesses and families in his electorate.

But he does ask whether or not there are any threats to these savings, and there are. We now know that the ALP is deadset on bringing the carbon tax back. We know because the Leader of the Opposition has told us. We know because two weeks ago today the Shadow Treasurer told the National Press Club that he is going to bring back the carbon tax. Against that, it is very interesting that not only is the tax back but the architect is back. I was reading a very interesting article. I was drawn by the headline: 'Home insulation scheme was "appalling policy", says Greg Combet's chief of staff' by Latika Bourke. At the end of the article there was a little comment by Mr Combet about the carbon tax. Mr Combet predicted the hallmark policy of the Gillard government, the carbon tax, had not died, despite its repeal by the coalition:

"Those policy measures are important for Australia's future…so will re-emerge," Mr Combet predicted.

So the carbon tax is not dead, it is only sleeping, under Labor. Their plan is to bring back the carbon tax, and that means higher electricity prices, higher gas prices and higher refrigerant prices. At the end of the day, under us there is no carbon tax; there is lower gas prices, lower electricity prices and lower refrigerant prices. Under them, the cost of everything goes up.