Dear Ammonite,

Yes - the recent calibre of Liberal frontbenchers are completely unspoiled by failure.

Shadow Minister,

You need to quote fully what Professor Ross Garnaut actually said - otherwise it gives people the wrong impression Sir.

According the an article in The Herald Sun, Prof Ross Garnaut said that households should have their compensation for a carbon tax ramped up over time after the plan is introduced.

His report called for two round of tax cuts over time to provide more assistance to households. Prof Garnaut said 55 per cent of the $12 billion that would be raised by taxing big polluters in the scheme's first year should go to households through generous tax cuts and benefits payments.

Within 10 years of assitance this should increase to 60-65 per cent of the money raised by taxing polluters.

"It makes sense from equity and efficiency perspectives for households to ultimately receive the vast majority of the carbon pricing revenue."

Prof Garnaut says most money should go to low and middle-income earners, but recommended lifting the tax-free threshold to $25,000 so all workers get some benefits.

"Raising the tax-free threshold would have the effect of cutting tax for all taxpayers including high income taxpayers." He said this would drive more people into the workforce.

"Over time... there will be further opportunity to provide more assistance to these households through a second round of tax cuts."

Prof Garnaut said there was a case for "structural adjustments" for workers and communities in coal regions or other high emitting regions that will be hit hardest by the new tax.

He recommends $1 billion over four years be set aside to help those communities.

I have rebutted SM in another thread, he nearly word for word told the same story, watch question time at 2pm worth it.
Rechtub launches the Minister for silly walks defense claiming to channel Tony Abbott.
Let us ignore the fact the world health organization and almost every national one wants an end to smoking.
As a retailer Rechtub would know cigarettes are stored in racks.
After this in behind closed doors,no mistake possible bloke so flogging a dead horse.
Abbott once totally believed in man made climate change, he has held every view on every issue.
He will use the view that helps him, EVEN IF HE DOES NOT BELIEVE IT.
OUG no not a labrat, ok but you defame me.
I would go without to help any one, am what I am because others did just that for me.
Hungry childhood made me.
I am a social activist because I saw pain every day.
The fact you defame every thing I believe ,and that I still talk to you,surely proves it is not for any other motive.
In truth this is me, I do not care what you think of me.
But you claim to care for battlers by supporting this spoiling opposition?
No other road exists,that is not a dead end but Labor for constructive change.
See the Victorian governments passing of a bill to allowed religious bigotry and NSW one restoring work choices for its workers
Know Abbott is no different.
Wallow in your self image but try to grasp reality.

Question time and other cuts from federal Parliament yesterday,made me wish every one could have seen it.
One point stands out to me,we do need an understanding compromise is needed in such a Parliament.
But we are getting a Tony Abbott sponsored confrontation instead.
And it is a poor out come for this nation.
It is unlikely we will get a hung Parliament again soon.
But the senate will see negotiations needed.
Or will they.
Majority interests are rarely served by greens policy's.
So why not deal.
I think conservatives will without doubt in my mind back down on climate change and the tax/ETS.
And that the easiest way ,for both party's, to dump policy's is to dump leaders, blaming them for the policy's, not an unusual act.
Similar views on mining tax and refugees,together non green groups could drop the confrontation and settle both matters, after true negotiations.
Our country's politics is being held to ransom by the need to win elections not govern well, by confrontation to turn votes not best out comes.
Abbott remains the man he always was, lifted by Labor to his current heights he strangely is the reason Gillard survives.
We voters end up uncared for by both sides as personal victory's wins over actions/.

Belly, nice shot, but I am afraid you are wrong with regards to plain packaging.

Have you ever seen a staff member place an apple into the orange stack? Answer, no, nobody could make that mistake. Much like a pack of Winfield blue compared to Marlboro red.

Now, wrap both the apples and oranges in plain packages, with just a simple label Orange/apple, and I bet you would see a mix up or two.

Smoking is an addiction and to simply make the package look less appealing will achieve nothing, other than possible confusion for retailers.

Remember, it’s the cigarette that is smoked, not the packet.

The fact remains that this reckless government has gone from one disaster to another with regards to both policy announcing and implementation.

The sad reality we must all face is that we have had billions wasted and still they continue to waste billions and announce policies without facts.

Now if our two key independents were in fact ‘independent’ then things may well change.

Trouble is, one is a lunatic and the other doesn’t want to rock the boat as he is about to retire.

Come July 1 this may change. We can only hope.

Lexi,

I have neither the intention or space to reproduce the entire report. The excerpts as per basic economics show that consumers inevitably pay 100% of the tax, and the 50-65% compensation they do get will not necessarily go back to the economy.

If they have a choice between a higher priced Australian made item or a carbon tax free import, guess where they will spend their money? The boom might be driven by mining, but the manufacturing sector still employs far more people.

The question will be: Are you better off with a carbon tax, and the answer will be overwhelmingly NO.

As the old saying goes; getting burnt once is an accident, getting burnt twice is careless, getting burnt a third time is stupid. let's see what australians go for at the next election.