Claim 1:

“[The Steel Transformation Plan] is not about structural adjustment of the steel industry, it’s just [...]]]> Not content with his scare campaign on carbon pricing, the Opposition Leader Tony Abbott this week recklessly talked down the Australian economy, hypocritically opposed the Gillard Government’s $300 million Steel Transformation Plan and misled small business owners.

Claim 1:

“[The Steel Transformation Plan] is not about structural adjustment of the steel industry, it’s just carbon tax compensation.” (Doorstop, Queanbeyan, 11 October 2011).

Fact 1: The Government’s Steel Transformation Plan provides $300 million to help steel makers adjust to pressures from the high Australian dollar, increases in raw material costs and subdued growth in the construction industry. It is in addition to the assistance provided to the steel industry under the carbon price legislation as an emissions-intensive, trade-exposed sector.

Claim 2:

“Confidence in our own country is at a rock-bottom record low.” (House of Representatives, 11 October 2011).

Fact 2: The Westpac-Melbourne Institute monthly consumer sentiment index stood at 97.2 in October. It has been lower than this 124 times during its 37-year history with a record low of 64.6, over 20 years ago.

Claim 3:

“There is no compensation for small business.” (House of Representatives, 12 October 2011).

Fact 3: The Government’s Clean Energy Future package increases the small business asset write-off threshold. For businesses with aggregate turnover of less than $2 million a year, the instant asset write-off threshold will be increased to $6500 from 2012-13. In addition the Government will establish a $40 million Energy Efficiency Information Assistance Grants Program targeted at small and medium sized businesses.

Mr Abbott is misleading the public. That is why I will continue issuing these Bulletins to correct his untruths and hold him to account.

We should all be proud that today the House of Representatives voted to take action on climate change and pass the Clean Energy Future Bills. [...]]]> I want to say thank you. Thank you to all the Party Members and supporters like you who have campaigned long and hard to put a price on carbon pollution.

We should all be proud that today the House of Representatives voted to take action on climate change and pass the Clean Energy Future Bills. It has only been with your support, over so many years, that we have been able to deliver action on climate change today.

These Bills will stand alongside Medicare and universal superannuation as great Labor achievements.

The Clean Energy Future Bills are good Labor policies; the legislation will put a price tag on the pollution produced by around 500 big polluters and every cent of the revenue will be used to assist households, support jobs and fund investments in clean energy and climate change programs.

There is still more work to do as the Clean Energy Future legislation goes through the Senate, but for today, you can be proud to see the Labor movement and the Parliamentary Party at our best.

Thank you,

Julia

Tony Abbott made a number of inaccurate and deceptive claims which show he does not regard the truth as being important in public life.

Claim 1:

“When people buy their carbon permits abroad, rather than off the Australian Government, they’re opening up an [...]]]> The Opposition Leader’s frenetic scare campaign over carbon pricing continued this week.

Tony Abbott made a number of inaccurate and deceptive claims which show he does not regard the truth as being important in public life.

Claim 1:

“When people buy their carbon permits abroad, rather than off the Australian Government, they’re opening up an enormous hole in their own revenue. They are not going to be able to afford the carbon compensation after 2015 …” (Doorstop, Dandenong, 5 October 2011).

Fact 1: From 2015-16, the Government will sell a fixed number of carbon permits each year to big polluters. This is where the revenue will come from. Polluters who do not buy enough Australian permits will need to reduce their pollution or buy international permits. Purchases of international permits will be on top of domestic permits issued by the Government. There will be no reduction in revenue due to this international linking.

Claim 2:

“Every farm uses fuel for its trucks and all of that is going to be hit by Labor’s toxic carbon tax.” (Remarks at Elmore Field Days, 6 October 2011).

Fact 2: Fuel used by farmers off-road for agriculture will not face a carbon price. Nor will fuel used by farmers on-road in cars and light commercial vehicles like utes and light trucks under 4.5 tonnes. On-road use by heavy on-road vehicles will not be affected until 2014.

Claim 3:

“The last thing we want to do is to close down the motor industry in this country but every new car will be something like $400 a year more expensive under the carbon tax.” (Interview, Radio 2GB, 6 October 2011).

Fact 3: Treasury modelling shows the vehicle manufacturing industry’s output will be 0.6 per cent higher in 2020 with the Government’s carbon price than without a carbon price. The carbon price will not impose an annual $400 price increase on new cars. Most materials used to make cars – steel, aluminium and glass – will be shielded from the carbon price.

Next week the House of Representatives will vote on the Gillard Government’s clean energy future legislation. Mr Abbott will doubtless ramp up his reckless rhetoric. While he continues misleading the public, I will continue issuing these Bulletins to hold the Opposition Leader to account.

This week Tony Abbott continued trying to frighten workers by making extreme predictions that entire industries would be shut down. He also brazenly misrepresented federal Treasury’s views on his own discredited subsidies-for-polluters policy.

Claim 1:

“Now, if the carbon tax goes ahead [...]]]> The Opposition Leader persists with his campaign of public deception on carbon pricing.

This week Tony Abbott continued trying to frighten workers by making extreme predictions that entire industries would be shut down. He also brazenly misrepresented federal Treasury’s views on his own discredited subsidies-for-polluters policy.

Claim 1:

“Now, if the carbon tax goes ahead this kind of equipment will still be manufactured, it’s just that it won’t be manufactured here, it will be manufactured in China …” (Doorstop, Digga Australia, Yatala, 29 September 2011).

Fact 1: Treasury modelling shows that Australia’s manufacturing sector grows by 69 per cent to  2050 under the Federal Government’s carbon price.

Claim 2:

“Our emissions reduction fund, our Direct Action policy has now been out in the public arena since February of last year. It withstood the scrutiny of the Treasury in the aftermath of last year’s election.” (Doorstop, Wauchope, 27 September 2011).

Fact 2: In its advice to the Coalition after the election, Treasury actually said the following about Mr Abbott’s policy: “Direct action measures alone cannot do the job without imposing significant economic and budget costs … Moreover, many of the direct action measures cannot be scaled up to achieve significant levels of abatement and for those that can be scaled up the cost per tonne of abatement would rise rapidly, imposing further costs on taxpayers and consumers.”

This week’s edition marks a dubious milestone. It brings to a total of 60 the number of outright untruths by Mr Abbott on carbon pricing which I have chronicled since launching these Bulletins in May. I will continue holding the Opposition Leader to account for this serial mendacity.

BHP are predicting the resources industry will need an extra 170,000 workers over the coming years. Its a far cry from the job losses and closing mines that Tony Abbott has been predicting.

You can read the full [...]]]> An article in the SMH today highlight’s Tony Abbott’s scare campaign about job losses is unfounded.

You can read the full article here.

The Australian economy will continue to prosper [...]]]> Today I introduced into the House of Representatives the first of Labor’s Bills that will create a price on carbon. It’s an historic day for our nation, especially those of you who have campaigned for years calling for action on climate change.  This is a great Labor achievement.

The Australian economy will continue to prosper and incomes will rise while we cut carbon pollution.  Australians will be supported as we move towards a clean energy future.  You can find out about the assistance available here.

There is still a lot of work to do before we secure a clean energy future for Australia.  I’m asking you to stay active in this campaign by advocating for climate change action in your community.

Please continue to spread the facts and share information about the assistance that will be available alongside the carbon price with your friends and family.

Thanks,

Julia

Here’s what Greg Combet had to say:

“It has fundamentally been the destructive and opportunistic behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition that has impeded this Parliament dealing with this issue,”

“He attacks the scientists, he [...]]]> SMH reports on Climate Change minister Greg Combet’s call to Tony Abbott to stop impeding action on climate change.

Here’s what Greg Combet had to say:

“It has fundamentally been the destructive and opportunistic behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition that has impeded this Parliament dealing with this issue,”

“He attacks the scientists, he attacks the economists, he runs a baseless fear campaign … he goes around terrifying pensioners, he makes false claims designed to frighten small business people.”

Read the full story in the SMH

Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell, today unveiled the 14.28 kilowatt array – located on the Concessions Building of [...]]]> A new photo-voltaic solar array at the Australian National University (ANU) will reduce the campus’s carbon emissions, feed energy back into the grid and help educate the community about energy conservation measures.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell, today unveiled the 14.28 kilowatt array – located on the Concessions Building of ANU’s Acton campus in Canberra.

Senator Farrell said the 60-panel array is part of the university’s Education Precincts for the Future project, which the Australian Government has provided more than $1 million for under its Green Precincts Fund.

“This photo-voltaic solar array will cut the ANU’s carbon emissions by 19 tonnes a year and will feed the equivalent of the annual energy needs of five average Canberra households back into the ANU grid every year,” Senator Farrell said.

“The Education Precincts for the Future project involves a range of energy and water conservation measures including the conversion of Willows Oval to synthetic turf and the installation of a subsurface stormwater water harvesting unit. It’s estimated those measures will save 15 million litres of drinking quality water annually and make a significant contribution towards the ANU’s goal of zero potable water use on the landscape by 2015.”

The ANU will also increase the use of carbon neutral transport on campus and will coordinate green events including festivals, training, debates, seminars and workshops.

Senator Farrell said the Green Precincts Fund supported high-profile projects that deliver water and energy savings, while educating the community about water and energy efficiency.

“This project at the ANU is helping the campus become a demonstration classroom, which highlights energy and water conservation solutions and encourages the community to adopt sustainable practices,” he said.

“It’s a great example of the Australian Government’s commitment to supporting projects that demonstrate better management of water and energy use, and provide educational opportunities for current and future generations.”

The ANU’s Education Precincts for the Future project is one of 13 projects across the nation supported by the Australian Government’s Green Precincts Fund.

Jose Manuel Barroso backed Australia’s plan to put a price on carbon pollution saying in their experience in Europe a carbon price was the most cost-efficient way to reduce carbon pollution, but [...]]]> Yesterday, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard were in Australia and met with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Jose Manuel Barroso backed Australia’s plan to put a price on carbon pollution saying in their experience in Europe a carbon price was the most cost-efficient way to reduce carbon pollution, but importantly it also created great opportunities for business.

Here’s what the European Commission president had to say.

“Australia’s decision to put a price on carbon emissions is, in our view, an important step both environmentally and economically,” he said.

“It is in our European experience the most cost-efficient way to reduce emissions and also a great green business opportunity.”

Read the article in full at ABC online:

Euro chief backs Gillard over carbon price

Watch Prime Minister Julia Gillard & European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso press conference.