Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and the Treasurer. Can the minister advise the Senate of the impact of removing the carbon tax on power, water and sewerage prices across Australia, including in remote communities?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Canavan for that question. I can advise the Senate that the evidence is in. The removal of Labor's failed carbon tax has led to reductions in the cost of electricity, reductions in the cost of water and reductions in the cost of sewerage. Of course, Labor said it could not be done. Like they said we could not stop the boats, they said the carbon tax removal would not lead to price reductions. This is what Bill Shorten said on 17 July, the day the Senate voted to get rid of the carbon tax:

Do Australians really believe they're going to see back all the money which Tony Abbott alleged the carbon price cost them?

The answer to that now is a resounding yes.

The other day I had the privilege of travelling with the Prime Minister to north-east Arnhem Land. I visited there a great organisation in Galiwinku on Elcho Island. I visited the Marthakal Badurru Workshop, and guess what. Even there there was evidence that the repeal of the carbon tax was bringing down the cost of electricity, bringing down the cost of water and bringing down the cost of sewerage. I am reading here from the sign that was put up at that particular workshop. Senator Dastyari has seen this picture because he went to my Facebook site to check it out. This is what it says:

On the 17 July 2014, the Federal Government announced the removal of the carbon tax, to be backdated to 1 July 2014. This change—

and this is a very important point—

reduces your power, water and sewerage prices.

And it goes on:

All customers billed from 1 August onwards will receive a bill that no longer includes carbon tax. If you were billed between 1 July and 31 July 2014, you would have received a bill that included carbon tax. If so, you will be refunded the carbon tax component in your next bill.

And right across Australia—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. In terms of using props in the chamber, I trust that the minister will be able to read his next answer without such a picturesque prop to wave around.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Mr President, I was actually reading from some notes which were in this document.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you are certainly sailing close to the wind in relation to using a document, because it does have a picture or a graphic on the other side of it. I remind all senators that that is disorderly.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can confirm that in New South Wales residential electricity prices went down by 10 per cent by Simply Energy. In Victoria, Lumo Energy reduced by 8.2 per cent the cost of electricity for small businesses— (Time expired)

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any alternative policies on a carbon tax and their effect on power, water and sewerage prices in Indigenous communities and elsewhere across Australia?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If Labor was re-elected to government, Labor would bring back the carbon tax, Labor would push up the cost of electricity again and Labor would push up the cost of water and the cost of sewerage again right across Australia, including for Indigenous communities in remote Australia. I make this prediction: in the lead-up to the next election, Mr Shorten will campaign and will go to the election promising, 'There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead.' Mr Shorten will go to the campaign—'There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead.' They will use all sorts of weasel words—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

'No cuts to education. No changes to the pension.' What happened to the lies you told?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But, Mr President, if it looks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, it is a duck.

Honourable senators interjecting—

If it looks like a carbon tax, if it hurts like the carbon tax, it is a carbon tax. Whether you call it a carbon price, whether you call it a floating price or whether you call it a fixed price—whatever the Labor Party choose to call it—whatever they bring back will hurt. (Time expired)

Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Mr President. Can I request that you to tell them to turn it down a bit. They are screaming like lunatics.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order, Senator Heffernan.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister able to inform the Senate of any other plans to reintroduce taxes that have been abolished by this parliament?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor will bring back the carbon tax. Of course, Labor, if they were re-elected to government, would also bring back the mining tax. How do I know this? The Labor member for Perth is already campaigning to bring back the mining tax. Again, Mr Shorten is saying, 'Oh, well, you know, perhaps not in the same form', and, 'We made some mistakes, but we've still got to get a return.' He is going to put all sorts of language around it and all sorts of weasel words. Labor will bring back the mining tax, which will hurt the economy, hurt jobs, hurt investment and slow Australia down.

How do I know this? Here is former Treasurer Wayne Swan—remember him? Remember former Treasurer Wayne Swan, who spent all the money he thought the mining tax would raise and more? Guess what? He is still spending the money he thought the mining tax would raise. Here he was the other day on ABC 24 saying that the money from the mining tax could be invested, and I am quoting him here, 'in tax reform or supporting other elements of public policy, such as education'. He is still spending money from the tax— (Time expired)