Gillard Clearfelling Australian Industry

17-May-2011

A $40 per tonne price on CO2 would be like clearfelling Australian industry, according to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).

ACCI’s Greg Evans told the Senate Select Committee in Canberra today said that the tax would “be like clearfelling the Australian business community”.

ACCI’s call to can the job destroying carbon tax was also supported today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers (FAPM) and the Australian Aluminium Council (AAC).

FCAI’s CEO, Andrew McKellar, warned that the Government’s proposed tax could have a “material impact on manufacturing competitiveness”.

FAPM’s CEO, Richard Reilly, agreed that the imposition of such a tax would be the last thing his sector needed.  

AAC Executive Director Miles Prosser also told the hearing that the Government’s carbon tax would impose a significant economic cost but achieve no reduction in global carbon emissions.

“Today’s leaked advice from Deloitte that the Government’s carbon tax could only begin to reduce emissions at a minimum of $40 per tonne sends a chilling warning to Australian industry,” said Shadow Industry Minister Sophie Mirabella.

“Australian workers and manufacturers aren’t mugs: they can see that the carbon tax is intended to save one job – Julia Gillard’s job – at the price of many jobs in the Australian manufacturing sector.”