With only two weeks until the start of the carbon tax, the Gillard Government’s carbon tax cop has written to Hume City Council and Wyndham City Council naming them among Australia’s biggest polluters and telling them to brace themselves for a major carbon tax hit.
The Gillard Government has named Hume City Council and Wyndham City Council among Australia’s biggest polluters and will make ratepayers pay significant carbon tax costs.
“The world’s biggest carbon tax is going to do great damage to the budgets of both Hume and Wyndham councils,” Senator Scott Ryan said.
“With only two weeks to go until the start of the carbon tax, it is clear the carbon tax is going to hit the Hume and Wyndham budgets, just like it will hit family budgets.”
The Australian Local Government Association estimates that the cost of the carbon tax, excluding landfill operations, will be a minimum of $185 million nationwide. In addition, councils, including Hume and Wyndham, will pay carbon tax on the landfill operations they run or use. As tip charges go up and up, the risk of illegal dumping will also go up and up.
“It beggars belief that Hume and Wyndham city councils will be taxed for collecting and disposing household rubbish,” Senator Ryan said.
“Collecting household rubbish is a core responsibility of local government and under the carbon tax, councils will be slugged for collecting rubbish. “
Senator Ryan said local residents will be paying the carbon tax on their rates, just like they will be paying carbon tax on electricity, gas and groceries.
“By increasing council costs, the carbon tax costs will mean either increases in council rates and charges or cuts to services,” Senator Ryan said. “These impacts are just the start as the carbon tax is legislated to go up and up.”
Senator Ryan said if the Coalition wins government it would repeal the carbon tax as one of its first acts.
“As local families are all too aware, the cost of living is going up and up. The carbon tax just adds another burden to families’ budgets.”