No stopping carbon tax; Opposition tries other tactic
There is now no stopping the Australian government from implementing the economy-wide carbon tax that aims to lower greenhouse emissions. The Gillard administration even got the support of independent MP Tony Windsor after the Productivity Commission report.
Mr Windsor's endorsement is quite critical and he has so far, was convinced by the Productivity Commission report that a tax on carbon emissions is the best way instead of giving subsidies on renewable energy projects.
Critics led by industry associations and opposition leader Tony Abbott, on the other hand, has sought an audience with Mr Windsor.
Opposition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt says while Mr Windsor is entitled to his own opinion he should meet the coalition to discuss its policies.
"We would be delighted to finally talk with him," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
Mr Hunt described the commission's report as a "devastating indictment" of Labour's plan, because no other country was taking comparable action.
In a related report of Bigpond.com said opposition Leader Tony Abbott found the report curtailing Australia's top export of coal.
"In the end you can't do without coal and the carbon tax ultimately spells death for the coal industry,' he told the Nine Network on Friday.
The coal industry association made the same argument at a Senate inquiry hearing on Thursday. The association said black coal, the nation's largest export, was expected to earn more than $60 billion in 2011-12.