Australia Votes YES to Carbon Tax Repeal, NO to Direct Action Plan; Tony Abbott Releases Social Media Video

(Source: Youtube/TonyAbbott)

Majority of Australians want the carbon tax repealed but don't want Prime Minister Tony Abbott's direct action plan as an alternative policy. In a new poll, 57 per cent of Australians rejected Labour's carbon tax law and only 12 per cent believed in Mr Abbott's policy.

The direct action policy will use taxpayer's money in buying emissions reductions from polluters and planting more trees. While Australians are in favour of repealing the carbon tax, the recent poll indicates a no-confidence vote in the direct action plan.

The Age-Nielsen poll interviewed 1,400 Australians and found that the majority wanted to meet the country's commitment to reduce emissions by 5 per cent by 2020. While the Australian Labour Party and the Coalition have agreed to meet the minimum target, the poll showed most Aussies prefer the policy Labour adopted in the last election which was the emissions trading scheme.

Twenty-nine per cent of voters preferred the emissions trading scheme to fight the effects of global warming, while 24 per cent voted for "some other policy." The results of the poll came after a leading business group in Australia expressed concerns about Mr Abbott's direct action plan and the government's call to encourage public opinion on the $1.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF).

The Australian Industry Group complained that the public consultation period in developing the ERF was "too short" and did not give people enough time to deliberate.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has turned to social media to express his desire to repeal the carbon tax before Christmas. The first hurdle of the repeal package was cleared successfully in the lower house but the real battle is said to begin in the Senate in December.

The Australian Labour Party and Australian Greens vowed to block the repeal when it reaches the Senate. Both parties hold the balance of power until the Senate's changeover in July 2014.

Mr Abbott released a video on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and issued a challenge to the Senate pass the repeal package before Christmas.

In a press conference on Nov 12, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Australia accepts that climate change is happening and humans are contributing to it. He said Australia is ready to take a strong and effective action against climate change.

Contrary to his statements, the Coalition government has launched a legislation to repeal Labour's carbon tax. However, most economists and environment groups believe the Direct Action plan will not work. The prime minister might have suggested a strong and effective action, but critics say abolishing the current climate change policy might not be the right solution.