Media Release – Senator Barnaby Joyce, 23 August 2011:
Government must come clean on carbon tax’s impact on Regional Australia
The Australian Government must follow the lead of the Queensland Labor government and release modelling of the carbon tax’s impact on regional Australia said Senator Joyce today.
“I applaud the Queensland government’s efforts to at least release modelling showing the impact of the carbon tax on regional Australia” said Senator Joyce.
“To date the Federal Labor government has released no such modelling. How can you buy a product when you don’t know what is being sold? How can you vote for a tax when you don’t know its effect on your people?
“Let’s use a doctor analogy. You go to the doctor, he says that I have a major operation I want you to undergo on all of your vital organs and it’s going to be really, really good for you.
“You ask him to tell you what are the downsides of the operation and he says sorry I can’t tell you they’re highly confidential. You also later find out that the operation is going to have no effect on your health whatsoever, it is merely a gesture.
“Now a second opinion from a whole lot of other doctors, from similar fields, is telling you that the operation could actually be really, really dangerous.
“When asked in Question Time today, Senator Penny Wong said that the government had released ‘pages and pages’ of economic modelling, but none of these show the impact on regional Australia.
“The Federal Labor Government should follow the lead of Queensland Labor and release modelling of the carbon tax’s impact on regional Australia. Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott, who purport to represent regional Australia, should call on the government to do just this.
Economic modelling released by the Queensland Government today reveals that regional Queensland will be the epicentre of the carbon tax detriment to future prosperity. The Rockhampton and Gladstone area will see economic activity fall by 8.2 per cent under a carbon tax, the Mackay area by 5.7 per cent, double to triple the impact of the carbon tax on the rest of Australia.
“Queensland Treasury’s own modelling shows that Queensland will be hit the hardest by a carbon tax.”
Queensland Treasury estimates that there would be 41,000 fewer Queensland jobs by 2050 under a carbon tax. Economic output is predicted to be 3.5 per cent lower in Queensland in 2050 under a carbon tax, compared to 2.5 per cent lower in Australia.
“Why are Anna Bligh and Andrew Fraser supporting a carbon tax that targets Queensland’s vital organs, its coal, electricity, manufacturing and tourism industries?
Earlier this year Anna Bligh said she would be “putting Queensland first” when responding to the carbon tax. I am glad she is not my economic doctor but unfortunately for this operation Julia Gillard is.
I’ve got this sinking feeling that Julia Gillard is about to tell me that she has “full confidence” in a carbon tax.
Barnaby Is Right 
If I was the PM I would get rid of Craig Thomson ASAP. He’s stepped down as chairman but still – I believe the union he drew funds from for ‘escorts’ is broke and auditors refuse to clear their books. This is a scandal that can’t be ignored. I might be naive but how much is he alleged as spending on prostitutes. Bit expensive a past time eh? LOL
Now with him gone and Rudd indisposed for a while, then they won’t have the numbers.
Seems shades of Whitlam’s dieing days in parliament don’t you think when scandals started to show cracks in the credibility of the then ALP government.
Hopefully KRudd will be out of action permanently. Maybe he could get a gig with Gareth Evans over in Europe.
I don’t wish Kevin any harm, but I bet he rethinks his political career if and when another election comes along. But talk on Anthony Greens blog seems in the event of Thomson being evicted, Harry Jenkins may resign as speaker. Well he could still have a casting vote if he stayed. I can’t see a coalition person taking the chair.
One suggestion was Bob Katter??? Can you imagine it. Harry is so patient, although he did reject the Minister for Trade for one hour today. Bob wouldn’t be so patient it would be riotous, more so than it is now.