I don't get how this carbon tax can be a good thing and, I don't get how it will force those payig the tax to find an alternative.

They will simply pass. Costs on to us, th end user.

I may have warmed to an ETS, as to produce carbon one must first buy credits, but a tax on carbon.

In any case, with the global economy on it's knees and our own economy on shaky ground, now is not the time to play roulette with our economy.

Support this tax by all means, but don't cry foul if your world turns up side down because of it.

Of cause, if it does, you lot will no doubt find some excuse for it.

Another problem I have with this tax, is labor's dismal record when it comes to implementing anything and getting it right.

Surely, even those here in favor of the tax must be Praying to the gods that they don't make this just another lemon to add to the trophy case.

When the carbon tax was negotiated with the greens, we were told that it was what the people wanted, the polls said otherwise. Then we were told that once the details were released, that the voters would understand it and approve it. They understood it and hated it.

The rhetoric is now that once the tax starts, they will get used to it.

The reality is that the next election will be a referendum on the carbon tax, and the government of the day will need to act on it. So far, the tax is looking very temporary.

How can taxing the top 500 polluters be justified as a tax for every body. How is this tax going to effect you. Power will rise 10% but will be compensated. If your goods come from one of these 500 polluters, there will be some rises. Does anyone know who the top 500 polluters are. Someone put up on the liberal web site Julia Gillard is likened to Hitler, and should be shot. That has a distinct aroma of Abbott about it.

It should be pointed out that companies already pay to emit other pollutants into the atmosphere in most if not all Australian jurisdictions. This has pushed companies to spend huge amounts on reducing emissions through pollution control systems (thermal oxidisers, ESP's, scrubbers etc), and other means.

Forcing companies to pay to pollute is nothing new, it's just that CO2 hasnt been included previously. Why people are so defensive of CO2 emissions is beyond me except to protect their own financial interests.

Trashcan, what don't you get? Why can't you see there is no replacement available for transport fuel.

Yes we can produce electricity from gas. But why can't you learn from the Dutch. Running windmills backed up by gas produce more CO2, & burns more gas than just burning gas.

If you can't understand simple math, you have no chance of making sensible decisions. That's the simple fact, from 2 large studies, one on the leading windmill country.

Open your eyes sometime.