Channel 9 Afternoon Bulletin

SUBJECTS: Carbon Tax Announcement

Journalist: Manager of Opposition Business Christopher Pyne joins us now from our Adelaide studio.  Hello Mr Pyne. 

Christopher Pyne: Good afternoon, Sarah. 

Journalist: After another shocking poll for Julia Gillard, what does the result say for the carbon tax. 

Pyne: I think what it says is that the Australian public don’t like to be lied to.  They don’t like to be told before an election there will be no carbon tax under any Government I lead and then to be told they have to have a carbon tax and that it’s good for them.  I think it says that the Australian public are thoroughly sick of a Government that is incompetent.  Only today Julia Gillard was saying that the so called budget neutral carbon tax last week would be at least at $4.3 billion hit to the budget and that the Government would dip into the contingency reserve and yet last week they said that they wouldn’t.  So we don’t know what’s going on from lunch time to Lateline quite frankly in this Government.  They change their tune on a constant basis. 

Journalist: Wayne Swan has blamed the figures on a dishonest scare campaign brought about by your party. 

Pyne: Wayne Swan is the person who yesterday said that a $4.3 billion hit to the budget bottom line is not really a hit at all and in fact they’d still have a surplus.  Today the Prime Minister said the hit might be more than $4.3 billion, but they can’t really tell us.  So within 48 hours, the Government’s own figures are already unravelling.  Yesterday morning on Adelaide radio, Penny Wong, the Finance Minister couldn’t tell us whether it was $18, $21 or $25 billion of expenditure from the Commonwealth on this carbon tax and she’s the Finance Minister. 

So I think the Australian public have a right to feel if the Government can’t explain the carbon tax, then why on earth should they vote for it?  And that’s being reflected in the answers they’re giving to pollsters. 

Journalist: The Opposition has been accused of running a scare campaign.  In fact, Tony Abbott has claimed the tax will cause mine closures and job losses, but how to you explain a $5 billion takeover bid for Macarthur Coal?

Pyne: Well, Sarah, whether in good times or bad times there are mergers and acquisitions between companies.  That’s comes with the territory.  I’m surprised though that the Prime Minister has heralded this today as an indication that the coal industry is going to have a very bright and healthy future.  Now, I can’t work out what the Government’s message is.  On the one hand they’re saying the Carbon Tax is necessary to change behaviour and close down the coal industry so we move to renweables.  On the other hand she’s saying today that this takeover by Peabody indicates in fact the coal industry is going to have a magnificent and healthy future. 

If I was an average Australian I would be spinning wondering what on earth the Government’s message was.  Is the carbon tax designed to change behaviour or isn’t it?  Are we supposed to be moving to renewables or do we want to encourage the coal industry.  Now, at least with the Coalition you get a very straightforward answer.  We oppose the carbon tax.  We’ll rescind it if we win the next election.  The next election will be a referendum on the carbon tax and we can get a government of adults who don’t change their minds from one moment to the next. 

Journalist: Christopher Pyne, thank you so much for your time this afternoon. 

Pyne: It’s a great pleasure.  Thanks Sarah. 

ENDS