Gillard’s latest sop to Greens puts Ministers at odds
29th July, 2011
LOOKOUT! Just when you thought the Labor-Greens-Independents carbon tax lurgy is the most viral ideological impost on Australian families and business, the Gillard government is upping the ante by proposing motorists – families and business – cough up for a new congestion tax.“The Prime Minister’s acquiescence to the Greens is complete,” Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport said today. “Her surrender to Bob Brown is already fuelling public unease and rising tensions among Labor’s backbench, but now Ministers are openly contradicting each other in public as the rot sets in.
“The Rudd government, in responding to the Henry Tax Review, rejected outright the idea of a congestion tax in May 2010. But in June of this year, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese re-opened the prospect, telling the Australian Financial Review forum that:
‘We have to also look at, not just congestion charging, but also how new technology can be used in terms of charges. New technology means we can have distance tolling, particularly where it comes to freight.’
“Yesterday, Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan put the congestion tax squarely on the government’s agenda for the looming Tax Forum in October. But on Sunrise this morning, Population and Environment Minister Tony Burke rejected the congestion tax when asked if it is a hard sell:
‘Well there’s nothing to sell, it’s not true that we’re introducing one, it’s not true that we want to, the Henry Review has floated this, it’s been floated a number of times, we’ve always said that we won’t introduce a congestion tax at a federal level.’
“The government is in total policy disarray. And, again, Australians will be concerned and confused, forced to choose who in government they believe in an increasingly uncertain future.
“Families and businesses already grappling with what a carbon tax will mean for them, now have to contend with even greater uncertainty over a new congestion tax – a tax that will make our economy even sicker.
“I call on the Prime Minister to declare there will be no congestion tax under the government she leads… that way we’ll know it’s on for sure.”
[ENDS]
