Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

According to Australian Treasury modelling there are right now 75,000 business which are directly paying the carbon tax. These are 75,000 businesses who will find it harder to compete, as a direct result of the reckless decisions made by the previous government. Every single household, every single small business, every single farm, every hospital and every manufacturing enterprise pays higher electricity prices and higher gas prices as a result of Labor's carbon tax. Treasury modelling shows that if we scrap the carbon tax electricity prices will be lower by nine per cent, retail gas prices by around seven per cent, at a time we have a $25.40 carbon tax. Labor went to the last election saying they had already removed the carbon tax, and now they are voting with the Greens to keep it. Labor is being reckless and irresponsible. Labor is putting Australian jobs at risk and it is time they got out of the way. (Time expired)