How to Make a Carbon Tax More Appealing

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is preparing to deliver relief to nine out of 10 households in Australia in a popular move to help win support for the planned Carbon Tax, which aims to “punish the polluters” and help the country achieve a 5% emissions reduction target. Maybe the approved Carbon Farming Initiative, applauded by Sustainable Business Australia, among others, will go towards restoring the country’s reputation.

16 June 2011

Sustainable Business Australia greatly applauds the breaking news that the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Bill 2011 has been passed through the House of Representatives.

Today the Parliament of Australia has taken a decisive step towards de-carbonising the Australian economy by providing a framework for the sale of carbon credits on domestic and international markets. The scheme utilises the unique role of farmers, landholders and indigenous communities across Australia, enabling them to reduce carbon emissions and develop new income streams. 

SBA has been a vocal and strong supporter of the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI). We look forward to advancing the opportunities created by the introduction of the legislation through the work of the market-leading SBA Bio-CCS Group.

GILLARD GOVERNMENT’S CARBON FARMING INITIATIVE A WIN FOR FARMERS

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, welcomed the passage of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Bill 2011 through the House of Representatives today, describing it as a win for farmers, a win for Indigenous Australia and a win for the environment.

The Carbon Farming Initiative is a key part of the Gillard Government’s climate change agenda. Under the Initiative, the Federal Government will help facilitate the sale of carbon credits on domestic and international markets, opening up new income streams for farmers and landholders across regional Australia.

Mr Combet said the Bill passed the House of Representatives today with support from the crossbenches, despite a bizarre eleventh hour decision by the Opposition to oppose the legislation.

“This is an important step towards delivering a carbon offset scheme in Australia. We will now work to secure this Bill’s passage through the Senate so that farmers and landholders can start reaping financial rewards from acting to tackle climate change,” Mr Combet said.

“We’ve consulted widely on developing this Initiative, with farmers, with Indigenous groups, with business and industry, and today’s vote is recognition of that work and the significant benefits this Initiative willbring to our economy and to our environment”.

Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, joined the Minister in welcoming the passage of the legislation through the House, saying the Opposition’s attempt to indefinitely delay the Bill has stripped them of all credibility on the issue of climate change.

“The Opposition’s been blowing hot and cold on the Carbon Farming Initiative, first calling on all sides of politics to ‘embrace’ the proposal, and now at the eleventh hour capitulating to the views of the Nationals and walking away from that commitment,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“Given that the Opposition’s so-called ‘direct action plan’ has been entirely discredited as ineffective, expensive and unworkable, the Opposition should now get behind the genuine, lasting action that will be delivered under the Gillard Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative”.

The Government will now work to secure the passage of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Bill 2011 through the Senate to enable the Carbon Farming Initiative to commence later this year.

Sustainable Business Australia is the peak body for the low carbon and environmental goods and services sector. We are also a think tank focusing on ‘new markets, new industries and new jobs’

Source: www.sba.asn.au/sba/news.asp

7 million homes to get carbon tax relief

Samantha Maiden From: Herald Sun June 26, 2011

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is preparing to deliver relief to nine out of 10 households in Australia.

PARENTS earning up to $128,000 with three children will secure tax cuts and a boost to welfare payments under Julia Gillard’s carbon tax compensation plan.

But some dual-income families earning much more will also secure relief because they can double-dip with family assistance and tax cuts.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the Prime Minister is preparing to deliver relief to nine out of 10 households in Australia as she prepares for a head-to-head battle with Tony Abbott on family tax cuts.

In the first significant detail of her tax plan, the Prime Minister has confirmed more than seven million households – 90 per cent – will secure some assistance. Most will be fully compensated.

Almost two million parents will secure increased payments under Family Tax Benefit A, which cuts out for families earning $100,000 for one child or up to $128,000 with three children.

But Mr Abbott is promising to deliver tax cuts without a carbon tax if he wins the 2013 election, labelling the Prime Minister’s plan “a con”.

Though the Gillard Government is yet to confirm the carbon tax price, the expected impost of about $20 a tonne would hit households by $500 a year or $10 a week.

But the Prime Minister told the Sunday Herald Sun most low to middle-income households would be fully compensated from July 1 next year and would not be worse off as result of the tax.

“These tax cuts and payment increases will be aimed at those who need them most – pensioners, low-income earners and middle-income earners,” she said.

“Not everybody will agree with our package. I get that. But I will be explaining exactly what help Australians get – and how they will get it.”

The Sunday Herald Sun understands that under the compensation plan being finalised:

FAMILIES who already qualify for Family Tax Benefit A will secure a boost to family payments.

DUAL-INCOME families where both parents work will be able to “double-dip”, claiming tax cuts and family payment increases.

PENSIONERS will secure up-front compensation – estimated to be about $500 a year for singles or $760 for couples.

WORKERS earning more than $150,000 a year, who will also be hit by flood tax from July 1, will largely bear the cost of the carbon tax without taxpayer-funded relief.

Mr Abbott also yesterday outlined his plan to deliver relief to families, describing middle-income families with children as “Australia’s new poor”.

“Voters are not mugs,” he said. “They know that a tax reduction to compensate for a tax increase is not a cut but a con.”

In a speech to the Liberal Party’s annual conference in Canberra, Mr Abbott said he wanted to simplify the family benefit payments system.

He said he would pay for his own planned tax cuts by cutting spending and improving productivity.

Source: www.heraldsun.com.au