Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Kim Carr in his capacity as Minister representing the Minister for Resources and Energy and in his own capacity as Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. The global crisis has seen a dramatic fall in prices of coal, which has led to the shedding of 2,700 jobs in the Queensland coalfields. The proposed bureaucratic ETS will impose a $2.4 billion carbon charge on Queensland’s coal industry as well as a carbon charge on every electrical drag line and electric motor on the coalfields. Does the minister agree with these additional charges being imposed on Queensland’s largest employer and can he justify the extra cost?