Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. I refer the minister to Budget Paper No. 1 which shows that the government will raise about $18 billion in carbon tax revenue over the first three years of the world's biggest carbon tax. Why will Australia's 23 million people pay an average $115 million per week over the next three years when the 502 million people in the 30-nation European Union ETS will pay only $23 million per week? Is the minister aware that the government is imposing a carbon tax burden on Australians which is five times higher than that in the 30-nation European ETS, a regional grouping whose collective GDP is 14 times the size of ours here in Australia? Why is the government so intent on pushing up the cost of living and the cost of doing business in Australia by more than any other government in any other country in the world?