isn't it strange how the slimy labour/Greens and their supporters were claiming that linguistically it would be almost impossible to revoke the carbon tax. The dishonest Gillard/Wong (and sisterhood on OLO) and co consistently spruiked how it could not be done. Now instead they are being outright pigheaded in their opposition to democracy. True colours showing again.

"...60%+ increase for heavy industry purely due to the carbon tax."
You're like a dog with a bone on this. Carbon pricing, cement making and aluminium smelting, as well as the effect on competitiveness of small domestic business were dealt with, as far as I am concerned, at http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=5207

No, the 70% figure was in reference to domestic households, misinformation that was directly, or by ommission, allowed to run free by the Murdoch press, as well as the fact of offsetting compensation always being avoided, just to keep things simmering along.

Abbott has no mandate, only political power.

Lucyface,

Yes the issue was cleared up, and large power consumers did experience massive power increases. I do the heavy electrical engineering for a mid size manufacturing business and we suffered a nearly 50% increase in electricity prices. The really big consumers would have seen much more.

As for your lying assertion about the Murdoch press please provide an example or two. My experience is exactly the opposite.

Couldn't be bothered but, if you are, then find reference to an Abbott claim that carbon pricing is driving up the cost of power and the Newscorp media person has pointed out to him the compensatory tax provisions or that domestic power increases are much, much more largely attributable to state governments and grid extension/maintenance.

You throw the tag "lier" around too willy-nilly for someone with your track record on OLO, Shallow Minister.

I do not believe that any government in Australia has been given a mandate to impose any tax on carbon emissions. Any more than the Hawke - Keating regimes were given a mandate to deregulate the Australian economy in terms of its international exposure. De-regulation lies at the core of our current foreign trade imbalance. As a country we spend far more on imports than we can afford to pay for from our export income.

We are caught between a rock and a hard place because on the import side we can't compete with cheap labour in poverty stricken countries to supply our marketplace and on the other hand our export sector faces the same competition with cheap labour from the 90 countries which operate free trade zones. This situation creates the tension between business and labour within our country in the quest to be competitive.

All the western democracies thrived during the 45 years between the enactment of the Glass-Stegall act in the USA. which ended the great depression and its dismantling in parallel with Bretton Woods Agreement by Nixon in the 1970s.

At this time our government undermined the economic future of Australia by adopting the free market mantra and removing the control mechanisms under which Australia had previously maintained its economic autonomy. If I don't protect my property and state I would rightly be deemed a fool. The government of the day played the fool on our behalf.

Until government's of any persuasion in this country address this reality their rhetoric about growing our economy and providing employment will amount to being so much hot air. Our politicians won't admit it and our people don't understand the degree of emasculation we face daily as a country.

To get back to the tax on carbon emissions issue; doesn't it appear hypocritical that we, on the one hand tax ourselves, while at the same time we condone coal exports on a vast scale for the crumbs it provides to support our stagnant economy?
Den 71

Lucyface,

"you can't be bothered" rubbish you can't. Deliberately saying things that are false makes one a liar. You and other left whingers are trying to blame Newscorp and leadership issues for your loss, rather than labor's carbon tax lie, the poor economic management, cruddy policies, and general incompetence.