ID :
165578
Thu, 03/03/2011 - 11:45
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/165578
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Carbon tax dominates NSW campaign
SYDNEY (AAP) March 3 - NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal and his opposition counterpart Mike Baird have traded verbal barbs over the federal carbon tax which has reared its head as a major state election issue.
With the government broadly supporting the measure, and the opposition against it, miners are claiming it will cost jobs across the state.
During an often heated debate at Penrith Panthers in Western Sydney on Thursday, Mr Roozendaal attacked the coalition for coming out against the tax, and for trying to link the federal issue to the state campaign.
"It's just a shame that the Liberals in NSW are so bereft of their own ideas, and they're so desperate to hide their own secret plans, that they grasp onto this national issue to distract from their own lack of policy," Mr Roozendaal told the audience at the debate organised by the NSW Business Chamber.
"The community wants to see action, the opposition in NSW are playing politics."
But Mr Baird accused the government of treating the tax as a political issue, saying it was ignoring the impact it will have on NSW voters.
The state opposition has called for voters to use the March 26 poll to voice their opposition to the federal tax, saying it will not only drive up power prices, but cost jobs in NSW.
Mr Baird seized on the comments from the NSW Minerals Council that the tax would cost jobs in mining-related industries.
"You actually need to understand what the impact on the economy you are overseeing is going to be," Mr Baird said.
"If those jobs go, what is it going to do to the families in those homes.
"This is not just ... a political issue, this is impacting people, and you need to do your homework."
The NSW Minerals Council on Thursday called for transitional arrangements to help business cope with the introduction of the tax.
"Mining and minerals processing directly employ 80,000 people in regional NSW and support many thousands more indirectly," council chief Nikki Williams said in a statement.
"These jobs will be at huge risk without transitional arrangements for business."
She also called for NSW Premier Kristina Keneally to clarify her position on the tax, after she said subsidies should go to households, but not big businesses.
Ms Keneally on Thursday said households should be at the head of the queue for compensation, but did not completely disregard help for industry.
"If there is room after households have been compensated to compensate trade exposed businesses, well that's fine," she said while campaigning in south Sydney, a day before her government goes into caretaker mode.
"Households should be top of the list when it comes to compensation."
Campaigning on the south coast, opposition leader Barry O'Farrell claimed the tax could add up to some $70 a year to CityRail fares.
"This confirms that even the most basic services, like train fares, will be higher under Labor's carbon tax," he said, basing his figures on Federal Department of Climate Change research.
With the government broadly supporting the measure, and the opposition against it, miners are claiming it will cost jobs across the state.
During an often heated debate at Penrith Panthers in Western Sydney on Thursday, Mr Roozendaal attacked the coalition for coming out against the tax, and for trying to link the federal issue to the state campaign.
"It's just a shame that the Liberals in NSW are so bereft of their own ideas, and they're so desperate to hide their own secret plans, that they grasp onto this national issue to distract from their own lack of policy," Mr Roozendaal told the audience at the debate organised by the NSW Business Chamber.
"The community wants to see action, the opposition in NSW are playing politics."
But Mr Baird accused the government of treating the tax as a political issue, saying it was ignoring the impact it will have on NSW voters.
The state opposition has called for voters to use the March 26 poll to voice their opposition to the federal tax, saying it will not only drive up power prices, but cost jobs in NSW.
Mr Baird seized on the comments from the NSW Minerals Council that the tax would cost jobs in mining-related industries.
"You actually need to understand what the impact on the economy you are overseeing is going to be," Mr Baird said.
"If those jobs go, what is it going to do to the families in those homes.
"This is not just ... a political issue, this is impacting people, and you need to do your homework."
The NSW Minerals Council on Thursday called for transitional arrangements to help business cope with the introduction of the tax.
"Mining and minerals processing directly employ 80,000 people in regional NSW and support many thousands more indirectly," council chief Nikki Williams said in a statement.
"These jobs will be at huge risk without transitional arrangements for business."
She also called for NSW Premier Kristina Keneally to clarify her position on the tax, after she said subsidies should go to households, but not big businesses.
Ms Keneally on Thursday said households should be at the head of the queue for compensation, but did not completely disregard help for industry.
"If there is room after households have been compensated to compensate trade exposed businesses, well that's fine," she said while campaigning in south Sydney, a day before her government goes into caretaker mode.
"Households should be top of the list when it comes to compensation."
Campaigning on the south coast, opposition leader Barry O'Farrell claimed the tax could add up to some $70 a year to CityRail fares.
"This confirms that even the most basic services, like train fares, will be higher under Labor's carbon tax," he said, basing his figures on Federal Department of Climate Change research.
