By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
NEW Liberal Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson has taken aim at established Labor’s Richard Marles over the carbon tax.
Ms Henderson challenged the Member for Corio to vote “unconditionally” to end the carbon tax.
“If the Labor Party was serious about creating and keeping jobs in Geelong, it would vote yes and scrap the carbon tax,” she said.
“Labor and ‘Electricity’ Bill Shorten are arrogantly ignoring the message sent by the Australian people that they don’t want a carbon tax,” Ms Henderson said.
“As Labor itself has conceded, the carbon tax is costing us jobs, damaging Geelong manufacturing and adding to the cost of doing business.”
Ms Henderson said Mr Marles had conceded immediately after the coalition won in the federal election when talking about the carbon tax.
“When the carbon tax is gone households in Corangamite will be around $550 better off in 2014/2015 than they would have been with the carbon tax in place.
“This is about taking the pressure off electricity and gas bills. Every day the Labor party opposes the unconditional repeal of the carbon tax is another day (of) higher power prices for local households and families.
“The Coalition Government will deliver on its promise to the Australian people and introduce the repeal bills as the first item of parliamentary business.”
Mr Marles said his party would retain its pre-election commitment to move from the carbon tax to an emissions trading scheme.
“We have made it clear that we will be supporting a move to an emissions trading scheme at the earliest possible opportunity. It is the cheapest way to deal with greenhouse emissions.
“Sarah needs to explain how the coalition’s direction action policy won’t cost households and businesses in Geelong much more.
“Not a single credible expert thinks direction action is anything but a lemon and a costly lemon at that.
“She needs to walk away from direct action, unless she wants to see significant cost to Geelong households.
“There is no debate now that government needs to do something to relieve greenhouse emissions. The debate is about what to do and the cheapest way is an ETS.”
