Abbott Cites Threat of Global Financial Crisis as Reason Not to Collect Carbon Tax

Coalition leader Tony Abbott has resorted to using a metaphor to warn Australians of the ill-effects of the carbon tax scheduled to be collected beginning July 1.

He compared the carbon tax to a python squeeze instead of a cobra strike. At the same time he cited the threat of another round of global financial crisis as one more reason why the Australian government should not collect the carbon price of $23 per tonne four weeks from now.

"But it is going to hurt from day one and as time goes by it's just going to get worse and worse and worse and the only way to fix it is to change the government," ABC quoted Mr Abbott.

In response to Mr Abbott's metaphor, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet said the carbon tax is here to stay. He said the Opposition would have to go through a double dissolution election to repeal the tax which he said would operate well into a first term of the government that will be elected in 2013.

Mr Combet said Labor MPs in Parliament would never vote for a repeal of the carbon tax package and the Coalition would need to wrest control also of the Senate to achieve it vow to repeal the carbon tax.

"The only python in the carbon debate is the Opposition leader's Monty Python-esque hyperbole," ABC quoted Mr Combet who described Mr Abbott's arguments as completely fallacious, false, untrue and deceitful. The minister said beginning July 1, Australians will begin to realise how much Mr Abbott has deceived them.

Mr Combet accused the Opposition leader of being a ruthless opportunist who tried to sow fear. He added Mr Abbott should be held accountable "for all the absurd and ludicrous statements he has made."

Mr Abbott's negativity has started to take toll on voters based on latest survey which showed his popularity has significantly declined because of his negative approach to Gillard government policies.

"Every day I'm telling people how the next Coalition government will get taxes down. What could be more positive than getting taxes down? And the best way to get taxes down is to scrap the toxic carbon tax, which will be the first act of a Coalition government," Mr Abbott told ABC.

While the surveys showed Aussies dislike Mr Abbott's negative approach, a new study released on Tuesday by the Lowy Institute said that 63 per cent of the respondents are against the carbon tax. Another 57 per cent favoured the Opposition's plan to repeal the measure.