CARBON TAX TO HIT LOCAL JOBS
14-July-2011
Local jobs in manufacturing, food processing, agriculture and transport will be sacrificed to the toxic carbon tax. The cost pressures to local businesses and household budgets will be far worse than the Government’s claims.
The local price of groceries will rise higher than Treasury modelling indicates. Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) Chief Executive Kate Carnell said:
"The government’s carbon tax will increase the cost of Australian manufactured goods, but will not affect imports, which are already cheaper due to the high Australian dollar."
Ms Carnell said the industry was "perplexed" by government statements about the impact of the tax on the price of food and groceries on supermarket shelves.
Fuel costs will also rise. Only petrol based fuels are directly exempted from the carbon tax; however the oil prospector, extractor, refiner and transporters will all be subject to the carbon tax.
Local transport companies will feel the brunt of the tax as the economics are clear – the price of petrol will inevitably go up.
Local farmers will also suffer under the carbon tax. Matt Linnegar, Chief Executive Officer, National Farmers’ Federation said:
“The average Australian farmer will still incur an additional $1,500 a year in costs under a carbon price of $23 per tonne, eroding their net farm income by 2.4 per cent.”
“These costs will erode the competitiveness of the agricultural industry in the domestic and international markets on which we depend.
There is no compensation for losing your job or to a local business owner who is forced to the wall due to the carbon tax - for the blood, sweat and tears that they have ploughed into their businesses.
The Prime Minister lied about introducing the carbon tax, she can’t be believed when she says the carbon tax won’t hurt local businesses and jobs.