Oakeshott tax will hit Lyne residents hard

December 4, 2009

Member for Lyne Rob Oakeshott must explain why he voted for a massive new tax, Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker said today.  Mr Hartsuyker was commenting on Mr Oakeshott’s call for the Prime Minister to explain the Emission Trading Scheme and his claim that The Nationals have backflipped on the ETS.

“Mr Oakeshott’s comments are breathtaking in their arrogance,” Mr Hartsuyker said.   “Mr Oakeshott supported Kevin Rudd’s ETS and voted in favour of it in the Parliament. The Nationals opposed the ETS from the day Kevin Rudd released it.  Lyne residents are now faced with an Oakeshott tax, if the Emission Trading Scheme is introduced. The Oakeshott tax will be in their power points, it will be in their shopping trolleys and will hit them every time they buy something.

“The Oakeshott tax will hurt every family in the Lyne electorate. The recent increase in the cost of electricity was the first instalment of the Oakeshott tax. It is forecast that electricity prices will rise by a further 60 per cent over the next two years and the main reason for this is Labor’s ETS, which Mr Oakeshott supported.  His call for the Prime Minister to explain the ETS is nothing more than hollow rhetoric.

“Australians are now realising what the true impact of Mr Rudd’s ETS is and Mr Oakeshott knows they are not happy.  Now at the 11^th hour he is trying to wash his hands of any responsibility and make flimsy accusations about The Nationals. The residents of Lyne will make up their own mind on this matter but Hansard doesn’t lie and it shows Mr Oakeshott voted for the ETS and The Nationals opposed it.”