Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to this power bill from Michael and Melissa Farrant, dairy farmers in Murray, that shows an increase of 15 per cent in their power bill because of the itemised carbon tax charge. Despite planting 14,000 trees to offset carbon emissions, the Farrants are now worried that they will not survive Labor's new carbon tax. Prime Minister, what are the Farrants supposed to do given they cannot pass this new tax on and there is no compensation? (Time expired)

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the member who asked the question, once again we reserve the right to check the facts because we have found consistently this week, including in the area involving agriculture, meatworks and the like, that the opposition has come into this parliament and claimed things that are simply wrong. So we reserve the right to check what is being asserted by the member. Why would we be surprised at all that the opposition would be asserting things that are wrong? This is the same opposition that said Whyalla would be wiped off the map. This is the same opposition that said there would be no coal mining anymore. This is the same opposition that said there would be astronomical increases in the price of living. This is the same opposition that has gone up and down the country peddling fear instead of facts.

I would remind the member who asked the question that in assessing the impact of carbon pricing on a small business, what we find from the opposition is that they are coming in here and either getting it entirely wrong or are seeking to misrepresent the position. Electricity prices are only one component—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume her seat. Before the member for Murray puts a point of order, I will ask the Prime Minister to return to the question before the chair.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was just about to say, for businesses electricity prices are only one component of their costs. For the vast majority of businesses, total electricity costs are two per cent or less of their turnover, making a carbon price impact of around 0.2 per cent. Then, when you have truly assessed the carbon price impact, there are various ways of businesses working to reduce their carbon emissions, to reduce their electricity usage, to adopt clean energy measures and energy efficient measures. The government is working with business to provide assistance with a number of those measures.

I hope the member is not so blinkered that she is participating in the fear campaign or that she is not doing things like providing information to her constituents about the $40 million Energy Efficient Information Grants program, which is helping small businesses cut energy costs. I hope she is not so determined to be out there peddling fear that she is not pointing to all aspects of this package.

Once again, I would remind the member for Murray, who is a member of long standing in this place, that she was a supporter of a price on carbon. She asked her constituents to vote for her in 2007 on the basis of supporting a price on carbon. She proudly supported John Howard's emissions trading scheme and the truth is if she was going—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will return to the question before the chair.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The truth is she can say to this business that if she was to sit on the government benches again she would be supporting a price on— (Time expired)

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the member for Murray is seeking to table a document?

Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister asked for this information in her answer. This is the itemised bill showing the charge.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Murray will resume her seat. The member for Murray is seeking leave to table a document. Is leave granted?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Murray is welcome to send it across but, as far as tabling is concerned, the answer is no.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Murray will resume her seat. The Leader of the House has indicated he will not grant leave. I will indicate again there is no requirement for the documents to be shown before leave can be granted.