Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to table a petition which has been endorsed by the Petitions Committee.    Notwithstanding the fact that the carbon bills were passed yesterday, I wish to record the protest of 766 residents of the Hinkler and Wide Bay electorates who object to the introduction of such a tax. The petitioners are concerned about the impact of the tax on the economy, jobs and the cost of living. They ask that the House reject the legislation. There were 409 petitioners from Hinkler and 357 from Wide Bay, and given the short time span allowed to garner the signatures this is a quite impressive result.

The fear of an additional tax resonates heavily in my area of Wide Bay Burnett where the unemployment rate is 12.3 per cent—the worst in Australia.    Disposable income is drying up, as reflected in the number of businesses which have closed in Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg, and the construction industry is at a virtual standstill, to say nothing of the tourism industry.    The last thing we need is another tax. It is in this spirit that I table these documents.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of the undersigned concerned citizens and residents of Australia, draws to the attention of the House the proposed legislation to introduce a carbon tax. We are concerned about the impact of the tax on the economy, jobs, and the cost of living, and therefore ask the House to reject the carbon tax legislation.

from 766 citizens

Petition received.