Rudd must come clean with North Coast residents on how much climate change policy will cost households

July 8, 2008

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd must guarantee North Coast families are fully compensated for the increase in the cost of living that will result from his climate change policies, The Nationals’ Federal Member for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker, said today.

Mr Hartsuyker said the North Coast had a higher proportion of retirees, aged pensioners and low income families who will be the most vulnerable people as a result Professor Ross Garnaut’s proposed Emissions Trading Scheme.

 

“The recently released Garnaut Report has confirmed that low income households will be hardest hit by introduction of a broad-based carbon tax,” Mr Hartsuyker said.

 

“Families will be forced to pay more for their electricity, families will be forced to pay more for their fuel - almost everything they buy will cost more.

 

“Kevin Rudd must come clean and clearly detail how much extra households will be expected to pay and how much compensation the Government will provide.

 

“On the New South Wales North Coast the majority of people can’t afford to buy a hybrid car, they don’t have spare cash to pay for a solar hot water system.”

 

Mr Hartsuyker said he was concerned the Prime Minister will use the complexity of an Emissions Trading Scheme to short change struggling households.

 

“Kevin Rudd has shown on a number occasions that he is happy to talk the talk but when he has to walk the walk his actions don’t match his rhetoric.

 

“My genuine concern is the Prime Minister will use smoke and mirrors to cloud the real impact of his climate change policy on family budgets.

 

“If that is the case North Coast families will be left to pay for the extra cost of living.”

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