In the News
3 August 2011
Households should demand their money back from the Gillard Government for the cost of the misleading Carbon Tax junk mail which is arriving in their letterboxes, said the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke.
$4 million is being spent on the 20 page booklet as part of the government’s $25 million taxpayer funded advertising campaign to sell its Carbon Tax.
“There is strong local opposition to this advertising campaign,” Mr Hawke said. “I have been inundated by calls from the local residents about this waste of taxpayers’ money by the Gillard Government.
“I have been told that local people are returning the Carbon Tax booklet to the Government, and some have been dropped into my office.”
Mr Hawke said the Carbon tax booklet was a desperate attempt from the Gillard Government to sell a tax the community doesn’t want, and didn’t vote for.
“It is a misleading piece of junk mail which should go straight into people’s recycling bins,” Mr Hawke said.
“Prices will go up and up for families. The booklet fails to tell people how electricity costs are expected to rise by 20 per cent.
“It’s deceptive in omitting information about the increase in tax rates. The Gillard Government is giving with one hand and taking with the other.
“Lifting the tax thresholds while at the same time lifting tax rates is not a tax cut, it’s a tax con,” Mr Hawke said.
Mr Hawke said that at the next election, the Coalition will offer tax cuts, without a carbon tax.
“The Gillard Labor Government is forecasting it will spend $3.5 billion in 2020 to buy 100 million tonnes of carbon credits from overseas, rising to $57 billion in 2010 dollars by 2050.
“In short, the tax won’t decrease actual Australian emissions but it will create a permanent black hole in our budget.
“That will do nothing to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions but you won’t find that information in the booklet.
“Australian voters didn’t vote for this Carbon Tax, they didn’t vote for this junk mail, and it’s time Gillard Government stopped this misleading and political advertising campaign,” Mr Hawke said.
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Thursday, 28 July 2011
Know someone who makes you proud to be an Australian? Now is the time to nominate them for the Australian of the Year Awards, said the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP.
“The Australian of the Year Awards acknowledges the great achievements of individuals in our community,” Mr Hawke said.
“If there is someone you know in the community, a family member, a friend or someone famous who inspires you, nominate them today.
“This is the chance for you to show your appreciation by nominating that special person who you believe is a great role model in our community.”
All nominees are considered and one nomination is all it takes for their efforts to be recognised for the Australian of the Year Award.
Awards are presented in four categories: the Australian of the Year Award, Australia’s Local Hero Award, Young Australian of the Year Award (ages 16 to 30) and the Senior Australian of the Year Award (aged 60 years or older).
Nominations close midnight Wednesday 31 August 2011.
For more information or to make a nomination please go to: australianoftheyear.org.au or call 1300 655 193.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
The Gillard Government’s determination to introduce a Carbon Tax has been met with anger and concern in our local community, said the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke.
Mr Hawke said he had spoken with many local families who were anxious about how they would now pay for increases in the price of electricity, food, and other household expenses.
“The overwhelming message I hear from our community is that the Carbon Tax will significantly impact on household budgets,” Mr Hawke said.
“Many local residents are already struggling with increasing costs, in particular, electricity prices which surged under ten years of New South Wales Labor Government. There is real anxiety in our community about the consequences of this Carbon Tax.
“We all understand the importance of protecting and preserving our precious environment. But what was announced by the Gillard Government this week was more about imposing a new tax than delivering an environmental benefit.
“The Gillard Government seems unwilling to either tell us, or unsure to what extent their Carbon Tax will impact on future global temperatures. Yet we have to pay.”
Mr Hawke said the Government’s own explanation of the Carbon Tax was contributing to anxiety in our community, and he had also spoken with numerous local residents who had been unable to estimate the impact the Carbon Tax will have on their household budgets.
“The Government was quick to promote the taxpayer-funded Clean Energy Future website and encouraged people to find out the impact of the Carbon Tax,” Mr Hawke said. “But what many local residents have told me is that the ‘compensation’ falls far short of what this Tax will cost.
“We should be in no doubt, many local residents will be worse off under this Tax.
“The taxpayer-funded Clean Energy Future website also had a flaw and many local residents had been unable to estimate the impact of the Gillard Government’s Tax. This failure only leads to greater anxiety and frustration for local residents worried about the impact of this new Tax.
“Prime Minister Gillard must listen to the concerns of our community. She must abandon this Carbon tax, a tax that will hurt many local families, without any tangible benefit for the environment,” Mr Hawke said.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Households in the Mitchell community will be forced to pay around $120 more a year for groceries, thanks to Labor’s toxic Carbon Tax, said the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke.
“The Australian Food and Grocery Council estimates that the Carbon Tax will add $120 a year to household grocery bills – that’s three times Labor’s estimate of $40,” Mr Hawke said.
“Treasury says that food prices will rise less than one percent under the Carbon Tax, but the Treasurer has been unable to explain by how much a single can of tomatoes will increase.
“Food prices have already increased five percent in the first nine months of the Gillard Government, which has done nothing to cushion households from the spiraling cost of living.
“Australian Food and Grocery Council boss Kate Carnell says that Treasury’s estimate does not stack up to business reality – the cost of the Carbon Tax will inevitably be passed on to consumers.”
Mr Hawke said the Carbon Tax will cascade down all of the supply chain, from farming to food processing, from transport to storage, from refrigeration to lighting.
“Food retailers and restaurants in the Hills cannot control the prices charged by their suppliers, or avoid paying more for electricity,” Mr Hawke said.
“Higher food prices are just one of many cost increases that Labor’s Carbon Tax will impose on local households; its own figures show that households get slugged $515 a year in their cost of living.
“While the carbon price will start at $23 a tonne, after three years it will float with the market and go up and up and up. Labor’s own modeling reveals that the carbon price will increase to $37 a tonne in 2020 and over $350 a tonne in 2050.”