The Hon Tony Abbott, Prime Minister and the Hon Greg Hunt, Minister for the Environment, Australia, issued a joint communiqué on the release of the carbon tax repeal bills for public consideration. Excerpts…

“In line with our clear election commitment, the Government’s first item of parliamentary business will be the legislation to abolish the carbon tax.

“This will lower costs for Australian businesses and manufacturers, boost growth, increase jobs and ease cost of living pressures for households.

“On average, households will be around $550 better off in 2014-15 than they would have been with the carbon tax in place. This is about taking the pressure off of electricity and gas bills.

“While the carbon tax will be gone, the household assistance already provided will remain to help families with the cost of living.

“The repeal bills will remove the carbon tax, end the carbon tax on fuels used in shipping, rail and air transport and on synthetic greenhouse gases. The Climate Change Authority will also be abolished.

“Abolishing the carbon tax will improve Australia’s international competitiveness, which was being undermined by the unfair hit on business.

“The legislation will give the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission further powers to take action against businesses that engage in price exploitation following the repeal of the carbon tax.

“Repeal of the carbon tax represents a major contribution to the Government’s deregulation agenda by removing around 440 pages of legislation and reducing business compliance costs by about $100 million annually.”

*The document is available for the public through www.pm.gov.au