Carbon tax details will win favour: PM

SYDNEY (AAP) - Prime Minister Julia Gillard remains confident she can turn around public and industry opinion in favour of a price on carbon, once the final details are revealed.
As Ms Gillard prepared to wine and dine corporate chiefs at her official Sydney residence at Kirribilli on Wednesday night, a new poll showed most voters oppose the carbon tax despite acknowledging action is needed on climate change.
Wednesday night's guests are expected to be representatives of AGL, Shell, Origin Energy, Wesfarmers and Alcoa, but chiefs from many of the large mining companies won't be appearing.
The Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper showed 30 per cent of those surveyed were in favour of Labor's plan to price carbon while 60 per cent were opposed.
Even among ALP voters support is relatively low, with 49 per cent in favour and 41 per cent against.
Ms Gillard said she understood people were "anxious" about the details of the carbon price but she's determined to tackle climate change.
"In the middle of this year, we will (be) able to give everyone full details of how the carbon pricing system will work," Ms Gillard told reporters in Sydney.
"They will be able to sit at their kitchen table and work out all of the dollars and cents for them.
"Households will get generous assistance."
The Australian Food and Grocery Council said it was disappointed the sector was left off the dinner guest list.
But Ms Gillard said the dinner was just one of "hundreds and hundreds" of meetings she holds, and a broad range of views were being sought over a carbon pricing scheme.
Nationals leader Warren Truss warned the corporate executives not to be "beguiled with magnificent menus, harbour views and fine wines".
Industries such as steel-making are concerned the government's scheme - which it wants to start in mid-2012 - will impose extra costs on production and make them less competitive internationally.
Australian Industry Group chief Heather Ridout said the high Australian dollar should also be a factor in the carbon pricing debate.
"This currency issue has changed the ballpark for the implementation of the carbon pricing in the next five years," Ms Ridout told ABC Radio.
Earlier this week, Treasurer Wayne Swan ruled out linking the carbon tax to the rate of the Aussie dollar.
Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh - who faces a difficult election within 12 months - says she's yet to make a judgment on whether the carbon price is in the interests of her state.
"I don't think it is at all surprising that people would be wary," she said.
"When we see the detail from the federal government we will all be in a better position to judge ... how it might affect our own household budgets, our own families, as well as the big industries."