Barnaby Is Right

Media Release – Senator Barnaby Joyce – 1 August 2011:

Local government to pay the carbon tax

Local councils will be hit the hardest by the news that landfill sites will be up for a $200 million carbon tax bill, Shadow Minister for Local Government, Barnaby Joyce said today.

“There are 565 local governments in Australia and all will have higher costs imposed on them as a result of the carbon tax. At a stroke this puts the lie to the government’s deceitful claims that only the 500 “biggest polluters” will pay the tax.

“Under the carbon tax, local governments will have to pay to turn on the street lights, they will have to pay to build a road and they will have to pay to take out the rubbish.

“All of these extra costs are being shifted on to them without any form of compensation or even consideration by the federal government.

“Ultimately, just like any other business, local governments will have to pass these costs on in the form of higher rates. I am sure everyone will be thankful for the carbon tax next time they get their rates notice.

“The Brisbane City Council has already warned that rates will have to go up by 2%, the Dubbo City Council has estimated that its power bill alone will increase by $500,000, while the Tamworth Regional Council estimates an impact on their electricity bill of $300,000.”

What a crying shame that Barnaby’s office staff – and those of numerous other Opposition Senators and MP’s – have apparently not bothered to check my 3-weeks-work-in-1 research analysis of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) department’s official Register of “polluters”.

Because it shows conclusively that there are only 16 local councils listed in the NGER Register of “polluters”.  And, that the entire government presentation of its official claims concerning “1,000 of the biggest polluters” … oops, make that “500 of the biggest polluters” … is an absolute litany of lies.

From alpha to omega, from beginning to end.

Tags: 500 of the biggest polluters, barnaby joyce, landfills, local councils, NGER