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Julia Gillard duds Victorians again

Thursday, 07 July 2011

This Sunday, Julia Gillard will make more carbon tax promises.

These promises will send even more of the hard-earned money of Victorians to Canberra.

If Labor's carbon tax is set at $25 per tonne, this will see Victorians pay up to an extra $2.5 billion to the Gillard Government.

This is equivalent to Canberra taking up to $450 from the pocket of each Victorian.

This Sunday, Julia Gillard will promise compensation and she will promise to exempt petrol.

But Prime Minister Gillard has a track record of breaking promises and dudding Victoria.

In fact, only hours after promising to exempt petrol, Ms Gillard was contradicted by her Green partners. And Victorians know that when the Greens say 'jump', Labor asks 'how high?'

Earlier this year Ms Gillard ripped $4.2 billion from the Victorian Budget in GST revenue and her government has failed to fund essential Victorian infrastructure and health projects.

And whatever the tax rate promised this Sunday, it will only be the start.

The carbon tax is designed to continually increase.

The real impact of Labor's carbon tax will be felt on everything Victorians purchase, from buying a pizza to getting a haircut to catching a train to the footy.

The Victorian Coalition Government has estimated the impact of Julia Gillard's carbon tax on Victoria's hospitals and public transport, as well as the local shop.

The carbon tax will require Victoria's public hospitals to find millions of dollars for higher electricity bills. These are vital funds that should be spent on treating patients.

Victoria's public transport system will also be hit hard, equivalent to around the cost of a new train every year.

A pizza shop will be paying around $500 more in power bills per year, while a hairdresser's bills will go up by $800.

Small business people can't afford to absorb the tax so they will pass it on to their customers.

The impact will be widespread and right along the supply chain. Even dairy farmers can expect their electricity bills to rise by around $1,400.

With over 90 per cent of our electricity generated from coal-fired power stations in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria will be hit first and hit hardest by Labor's carbon tax.

It's time that Julia Gillard and Bob Brown told Victorians how many jobs are at risk because of their secret deals.

Victorians need to know what plans Julia Gillard and her Greens partners have for making sure our power supplies are secure and the lights stay on.

Instead, Julia Gillard and the Greens are keeping Victorian families and businesses in the dark.

Victorians deserve better.

Impact on electricity prices of a $25 per tonne carbon tax

Carbon tax impact on Victorian hospitals and public transport

The Gillard Government's carbon tax will increase the cost of basic services used by every Victorian. The main effect will be felt through increased energy costs.

The following table provides an overview of the impact of the Gillard Government's carbon tax on Victoria's hospitals and public transport.

Note these figures are based on modest estimates of the additional cost of electricity and do not include increased gas prices, which the Gillard Government estimates will rise by 10 per cent.

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