Prime Minister Tony Abbot has reportedly called for abolishment of the carbon tax by releasing draft laws in support of his request. Mr. Abbott vowed to see through the implementation of the measure.
According to ABC News, the Prime Minister warned the opposition to “repent” and to appropriate the draft laws for the good of the people:
“If the Labor Party persists in saying, ‘Yes, we support the carbon tax’, they will effectively be saying ‘No’ to the people of Australia,” Mr. Abbott said.
“That’s why the pressure on the Labor Party in the end not to oppose this bill I believe will be irresistible.”
“We are giving the Labor Party a chance to repent of its massive breach of faith with the Australian people in the last Parliament,” he added.
Mr. Abbott joints out the warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as justification for the proposed measures.
“Under the carbon tax measures of the former government, our economy was damaged, but our emissions wouldn’t actually reduce,” he said.
“We’ll have direct action measures. You are all very familiar with them, that we are confident will bring about a 5 per cent reduction in our emissions by 2020.”
The Coalition plans on introducing a broad range of “direct action” measures which include planting trees and financial incentives to stimulate polluters to lower the emission of carbon.
It is said that the government will have to wait until the new Senate comes into power in July in order to push through the legislation. According to their estimates, abolishing the carbon tax will save every Australian household approximately $550 a year through lower electricity and gas bills.
Meanwhile, in his first press conferences Opposition leader Mr. Bill Shorten maintained that the Labor party will put up a fight to preserve Labor’s scheme. The Greens, who will remain in power in the Senate until July next year, will also oppose the Government’s efforts to repeal the carbon tax.
“The Greens will stand steadfast to protect the Australian people from the climate change criminality of Tony Abbott,” deputy Greens leader Adam Bandt said.
The legislation will be open for public debate until November 4.
