George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Despite the government's claims to the contrary, ratepayers across Australia are going to face increased costs because of the carbon tax. The truth has come out in Mackay, where the council announced yesterday that ratepayers will face a $23.40 increase in their waste management levy because of the council's inclusion by the Clean Energy Regulator in the liabilities for the carbon tax.

The Mackay council is going to have a bill, after it has done its mitigation, of $36.4 million over 40 years. The $23.40 increase will raise the levy for ratepayers to $165.65. Meanwhile, charges to commercial customers will go up, with a gate fee of $20.02 per tonne.

The council has mitigated by installing a gas flaring system at the landfill they have. But this has still not completely removed the cost of the carbon tax, so the mayor has said that she has no option but to frame the budget in such a way as to raise the levy because the council is collecting it on behalf of this federal government. The council has no choice in the matter. This is absolutely disgraceful. It proves a lie to the government's statement that there will be no cost on ratepayers. I congratulate the council on their efforts to mitigate and condemn the government on this cost to ratepayers.