ROSS SAYS HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESS IN BONNER WILL EXPERIENCE BILL SHOCK FROM JULIA GILLARD’S CARBON TAX

Ross Vasta, Member for Bonner, said Julia Gillard’s attempt at blaming others for surging electricity prices was laughable given that she introduced the world’s biggest carbon tax only weeks ago.

“The electricity bills are starting to arrive throughout Bonner and families and businesses are starting to experience ‘bill shock’ from Julia Gillard’s carbon tax”, said Ross Vasta.

“Since the Rudd-Gillard government was first elected, electricity prices have risen by a staggering 60%.

“Julia Gillard has shown no interest in household prices during the past five years and now, after introducing the world’s biggest carbon tax, she wants the people of Bonner to believe she understands what households and businesses are facing.

“How can the Prime Minister who said “there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead” be believed when it comes to claims about electricity prices now?”

“The carbon tax is an electricity tax, it’s a gas tax and a tax on the essentials of life.

“Five weeks after introducing this tax, it’s simply not good enough for Julia Gillard to point the finger elsewhere.

Ross Vasta said Julia Gillard had designed a carbon tax that would go up and up – putting more pressure on electricity prices with every year.

“The carbon tax is now $23 a tonne, it will rise to $37 a tonne by 2020 and $350 a tonne by 2050.  According to the government’s own figures, the carbon tax will wipe a cumulative one trillion dollars from Australia’s GDP by 2050 – that’s like closing down the country for a year.

“The best way to tackle rising electricity prices is to scrap the carbon tax.  Only the Coalition has a plan to scrap the carbon tax and that plan starts on day one of a Coalition Government.

Ross Vasta said in addition to carbon tax price pressures, Julia Gillard’s own electricity regulator, the Australian Energy Regulator, had approved all electricity network price rises over recent years.

“The Rudd-Gillard Government has been in office for five years and during that time they have approved all electricity network price increases and introduced the world’s biggest carbon tax. 

“When it comes to electricity prices, the culprit for rising electricity prices is Julia Gillard and her government.”