Australians have just 40 sleeps to Christmas and another 99 sleeps to the start of their new bureaucracy under Julia Gillard’s carbon tax, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Simon Birmingham said today.
The Gillard Government today announced its Clean Energy Regulator will begin operations on 2 April 2012.
“Labor has today started the clock ticking towards its giant new carbon tax bureaucracy,” Senator Birmingham said.
“At least four different bureaucratic organisations are being newly established as part of Julia Gillard’s carbon tax regime.
“Through Senate Estimates and the Government’s own documents we know this Clean Energy Regulator will cost $256 million over the four-year forward estimates, with around 330 staff to be appointed.
“That’s on top of the staff and costs associated with the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the $3.2 billion Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the $25 million Climate Change Authority.
“Of course, Labor has already started building its carbon tax bureaucracy.
“Departmental officials told us at Senate Estimates last month that of the at least 200 new positions being created across the climate change portfolio in net terms, at least 50 had already been engaged to implement the planned carbon tax.
“Taxpayers will pay for the carbon tax through increased cost of living and reduced job certainty, but are already paying for a bloated public service.
“Millions of taxpayer dollars will be spent year after year to administer Julia Gillard’s massive money-go-round designed to drive up the cost of everything.
“When Australians rest their heads on their pillows this Christmas Eve, they’ll have exactly 100 sleeps before the Clean Energy Regulator invades not only their chimneys but the cost of every aspect of their lives.”