West Australian premier warns carbon tax won't work
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Xinhua, October 12, 2011
The Federal government's controversial carbon tax will not be effective, West Australian Premier Colin Barnett said on Wednesday.
![Vapour pours from a steel mill chimney in the industrial town of Port Kembla, about 80 km (50 miles) south of Sydney July 7, 2011. [Xinhua/Reuters]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20111012/0014222d98500fff6e9a2d.jpg "Vapour pours from a steel mill chimney in the industrial town of Port Kembla, about 80 km (50 miles) south of Sydney July 7, 2011. [Xinhua/Reuters]") |
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Vapour pours from a steel mill chimney in the industrial town of Port Kembla, about 80 km (50 miles) south of Sydney July 7, 2011. [Xinhua/Reuters]? |
The carbon tax bills went through the federal House of Representatives on Wednesday morning by 74 votes to 72.
"I just don't think it will have the effect on reducing carbon emissions that people hope it would," Barnett told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
"We would be better off as a country using more natural gas in power generation, we can be certain of the result that would dramatically reduce carbon emissions."
Barnett said he does not support the carbon tax because it will not deliver the benefits its proponents claim.
"My main objection is that I actually don't think it will work, " Barnett said.
He warned that Australian consumers would see electricity prices to rise by 8 percent as a result of the tax.
"I just think it's absolutely absurd that we should be taxing Australians to fund conservation carbon reduction projects in other countries," he said.
The carbon tax bill now head to the Senate where they are expected to pass in November with Green support.
