A $190 hike in electricity prices is only the first such hit Canberra households will face under the carbon price and is an example of what all Australians will pay, Acting Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and HeritageSimon Birmingham warned today.
The ACT Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission has release its draft report on prices for the coming year, including the impact of Julia Gillard’s carbon tax that would hit households by more than $190 on average.
“This $190 electricity price hike will be just the first hit of this type for Canberra households because Julia Gillard’s carbon tax is planned to keep going up,” Senator Birmingham said today.
“We’ve long expected the carbon tax to mean an increase to electricity bills around Australia and we now know the carbon tax is expected to deliver a 13 per cent hit to Canberra electricity bills in the first year alone.
“Sadly for Australians, the ACT Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission’s report only confirms the Coalition’s fears and our warnings over a long period of time. All Australians will face similar price hikes this year, with more pressure to come in subsequent years.
“The carbon tax lands on 1 July this year, but will keep going up over the coming years with resulting further increases on electricity, gas and transport as well as the flow on rises to the cost of everything else.
“Australians will question the worth of making everything more expensive in this way when the carbon tax fails to stop our own emissions rising and is the biggest such tax in the world.
“Labor’s carbon tax is all pain and no gain.
“Even under its carbon tax, the Government itself still forecasts Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions to increase from 578 million tonnes in 2012 to 621 million tonnes in 2020.
“The carbon tax is an ineffective and expensive policy for which all Australians will pay, and Canberra’s $190 electricity hike won’t be the last by a long shot.”