Despite Opposition leader Tony Abbott's vow to repeal the carbon tax if he comes to power, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard claimed in a question-and-answer portion at the CarbonExpo conference in Melbourne on Wednesday that Mr Abbott will not repeal the tax.

"My prediction would be we are seeing the maximum drama right now but it will abate over time," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ms Gillard.

She based her claim on record of opposition parties, including Labor, which eventually reneged on their word to reverse major legislative changes made by Australian governments such as the Medicare and the general sales tax (GST).

"The reality is Tony Abbott knows you can't go back (on carbon pricing).... This is a great Labor reform and for all the theatre now, Tony Abbott has absolutely no intention of repealing the legislation," Ms Gillard said.

The prime minister pointed out that the $23 per tonne price of the carbon tax would have only a third of the GST's price impact.

Climate Institute Executive Director John Connors wrote in a newspaper article that the carbon tax at its current rate would increase Australia's inflation rate by less than 1 per cent.

Although coal-fired power plants would continue to run in Australia for four more decades despite the carbon tax, Ms Gillard said the country's energy-production mix would change. She said the carbon price would help create $100 billion renewable energy projects.

The Greens, Labor's coalition partner which help push for the approval of the carbon tax in the Senate, want an immediate end of coal-fired power stations in Australia. However, Greens leader Bob Brown admitted the 80 per cent reduction target of greenhouse gases by 2050 is a good one even as he urged striving to generate 100 per cent of Australia's energy requirements from renewable sources.

"Putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is an attack on the wellbeing, the health, the happiness, the economy, the job creativity or the next generation," The Australian quoted Mr Brown.

Ms Gillard added that she discussed clean energy with U.S. President Barack Obama at the G20 meeting in Cannes and would take up the topic again when Mr Obama visits Australia in the middle of November.

Despite the prime minister's claim, Opposition Climate spokesman Greg Hunt insisted they will repeal the carbon law if they win in the next election.

"There would be an overwhelming mood in the community to repeal the tax.... The whole thing could be done and dusted within six months," Mr Hunt told ABC radio.

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