Carbon Trading Scheme: Independent MPs back mining tax

The Federal Government has secured the support of key independents Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie for its mining tax.

The independents have secured a $200 million program to examine environmental concerns over coal seam gas mining and an increase in the tax threshold from $50 million to $75 million for small companies.

But the passage of the bill is by no means assured.

The Greens, who have threatened to block the legislation if the tax threshold is increased, are insisting the foregone revenue of $20 million a year be made up by other means.

However the support of the independents is a big boost to Julia Gillard's Government, which is trying to get the tax through the Lower House before Parliament rises for the year on Thursday.

It has been buoyed by Labor Party-commissioned research showing 56 per cent of people do not think average Australians are benefiting from the resources boom.

The Government has agreed to a demand by Mr Wilkie to lift the tax threshold at which the tax will apply to $75 million from $50 million and phase in another increase to $125 million.


Mr Wilkie had expressed concerns about how the tax will affect small miners, a concern shared by Western Australian independent Tony Crook.

The Tasmanian MP says 20 to 30 companies will pay the tax when it reaches the $125 million threshold.

"That will go some way to making for a fairer tax for the small mining companies," he said.

"At the end of the day they are the companies that are going to become the big companies."

Mr Wilkie said he was unable to negotiate any change to the depreciation provisions, but accepted the Government had negotiated in good faith.

But Mr Crook says he will not be supporting the tax and argues the Government should consider amendments to protect small miners.

"Some companies may choose to put their projects on the backburner or not proceed at all," he said.

"This will have a massive detrimental affect. There should be every inducement to keep these mining companies going and keeping people employed."

Sticking points
One of Mr Windsor's key sticking points was a commitment that any decisions about coal seam gas projects are based on rigorous scientific evidence.

Carbon Trading Scheme: Independent MPs back mining tax

Carbon Trading Scheme: Low-income Australian families 'battle energy bills'

LOW-income families are buckling under the strain of rising energy bills, a leading social welfare charity says.

Anglicare Sydney has recorded a sharp increase in the number of people seeking emergency aid to help meet household energy costs, which have risen 17.3 per cent since July.

Low-income families are under the highest pressure, Anglicare's director of advocacy Sue King said in a statement.

"Anglicare Sydney has given out $10,000 more in assistance for energy bills in the first quarter of this financial year compared with the same time last year,'' she continued.

"The increase in the amount of energy assistance distributed directly relates to the increase in electricity prices.''

It comes as the NSW Energy and Water Ombudsman confirmed many customers are now facing financial hardship because of rising energy bills, with a steady stream of complaints about large arrears and disconnections.

Ombudsman Clare Petre revealed there had been an eight per cent increase in complaints from customers facing disconnection during the last financial year.

There was an 18 per cent increase from customers who had been disconnected due to financial hardship.

Carbon Trading Scheme: Low-income Australian families 'battle energy bills'

The impact of the carbon price overtakes Australians' main concern, Loan Market online survey reveals

CONSUMER worries about interest rates have been overtaken by concerns about the impact of the carbon orice and utility costs on household finances.

An online survey conducted by mortgage provider Loan Market shows 39 per cent of respondents nominated the carbon tax as their biggest financial concern for 2012, while 30 per cent nominated utility costs.

Of the 484 respondents, 21 per cent said interest rates would have a negative impact, while just 10 per cent said fuel prices.

What costs are hitting you the hardest? Take our Cost of Living survey below.

"Even though it does not come in until July 1 next year, the majority of our respondents cite the carbon tax as their biggest financial concern for 2012,'' Loan Market chief operating officer Dean Rushton said today.

The survey also found Gen-Yers were more concerned about the carbon price, with 51 per cent of respondents in that age group saying it would have the greatest negative impact on their finances.

But consumers were less concerned by interest rate rises, after the Reserve Bank of Australia in November cut the cash rate for the first time in more than two and half years.

"There is no doubt in that they will need to cut further to continue to shore up confidence in the current global environment,'' Mr Rushton said in a statement.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/money-matters/the-impact-of-the-carbon-price-overtakes-australians-main-concern-loan-market-online-survey-reveals/story-e6frfmd9-1226195967052#ixzz1d1wqsx1G

Carbon Trading Scheme: Carbon Tax Opposition Grows: Newspoll

There is growing opposition to the carbon tax after the House of Representatives passed bills for the scheme, a Newspoll has found.

Opposition to the tax has jumped six percentage points to 59 per cent, the poll commissioned by The Australianhas found.

Support for the tax has fallen four points to 32 per cent.

But it's not all bad news for Labor, with the poll showing there was a four-point drop in the Coalition's primary vote to 45 per cent, the lowest since May this year.

The Greens climbed back to a record 15 per cent primary vote support, rising three points.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard's personal satisfaction with voters rose three percentage points to 31 per cent.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's rating was down from 36 per cent to 34 per cent.

However, Mr Abbott still maintained the lead as preferred prime minister at 39 per cent compared with Ms Gillard's 36 per cent.

Newspoll chief Martin O'Shannessy said Labor's primary vote was stuck on 29 per cent, unchanged from two weeks ago while the Coalition's loss of support had mostly gone to the Greens.

Ms Gillard might take heart from the improvement in her approval rating, he said.

But continuing opposition to the carbon tax made it hard to accept the government's view that the passage of its legislation through Parliament would improve Labor's position.

"We have been tracking this now for a while. Back in April-May it was 60, in July 59," Mr O'Shannessy told ABC Radio.

The latest Newspoll has opposition to the carbon tax still at 59 per cent.

Parliamentary secretary Kate Lundy believes commonsense will prevail on the carbon tax.

"This policy is embedded in good science," she told Sky News.

"I think the opposition is starting to be exposed in the lack of sincerity in their fear campaign."

People were starting to question the opposition's motivation, knowing it was about "dirty politics" not policy.

Opposition frontbencher George Brandis said the Coalition was "very, very happy" about the latest Newspoll.

"For the Labor Party to find comfort from the fact they're only 16 [percentage points] behind the Coalition on the primary vote ... just goes to show how desperate the Labor Party's situation has become," he said.

Senator Brandis rejected any suggestion the Coalition was playing politics over the carbon tax.

"We simply think it is a stupid idea and, by a majority to two to one, so do the Australian people."

Carbon Tax Opposition Grows: Newspoll

Carbon Trading Scheme: Qld Taxpayers Warned about Carbon Tax

Queensland taxpayers will pay the price for state-owned power generators being devalued by the federal carbon tax, a Senate committee has been warned.

A committee scrutinising the proposed federal tax sat in Brisbane on Monday, where Queensland Resources Council chief Michael Roche argued Australia should not adopt a tax ahead of its international competitors.

Carbon Trading Scheme: Qld Taxpayers Warned about Carbon Tax

Carbon Trading Scheme: Costs of Climate Tax 'Could Drive Farmers From the Land'

Carbon tax costs could push farmers off the land and raise the price of agricultural productivity, a Senate committee has been told.

Sitting in Brisbane, the Senate select committee on the scrutiny of new taxes heard that the Queensland government would forgo $1 billion in royalties in the coming decade because of the tax.

Carbon Trading Scheme: Costs of Climate Tax 'Could Drive Farmers From the Land'

Many Would Back Repealing Carbon Price

Half the country supports Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's stance that he would overturn the carbon pricing scheme should the coalition with the next election, a news survey shows.

The weekly online Essential Research survey released on Monday shows the prospect of a coalition election win remains clear cut, with only a minor increase in support for Labor recorded in the latest week.

Labor support among voters rose to 45 per cent from 44 per cent last week on a two-party preferred basis, compared with 55 per cent for the coalition, down from 56 per cent previously.

Fifty per cent of the 1053 respondents supported Mr Abbott's stance that he would repeal the carbon price legislation on winning power, while 36 per cent said they opposed such a move.