Leigh Barrington
Tue 13 Oct 09 (06:32am)

ETS=Political Nirvana,
At last, the politicians ultimate dream come true. A tax on the very air the voters breathe.

Ronald Kitching
Tue 13 Oct 09 (06:43am)

Turnbull, although hailed as some for his powerful “intelligence” is as thick as two planks. In a tight and dangerous situation, would you like to have to depend upon Malcolm backing you?

He has no principle either. His eyes are glittering at the future prizes he thinks are to be gained from Emissions trading.

And he has not got a Classical Liberal bone in his body. He is a fraud.

hazel
Tue 13 Oct 09 (06:47am)

Can someone please provide further details on ETS and how it will effect me the end user. If my electricity bill is say $300, will there be an ETS tax on that say of 20% and then GST on the whole lot or will there be GST and then an ETS tax on GST etc - how will it all pan out. Howard said that there would never be a tax on a tax, but this is not so - just have a look at insurance where you have GST on top of state taxes, fire taxes etc.  As a small business owner, will I also have to lodge an ETS tax return each quarter and act as an ETS collector, the same as I already do for GST? Where do I find the time to do this and are accountants going to rip us off like they have for GST ie they charged me initially to assist with BAS and now that I lodge them, they still charge to oversee the whole lot (or am I being ripped off there as well). It sounds to me as though Labor wants to fill it’s coffers with money from the ETS in order to return it’s budget to surplus!  Will we then have to pay another tax so that State governments can build necessary infrastructure to provide for the millions of immigrants coming our way - to increase our infrastructure - roads, hospitals, schools etc as there is no way that presently NSW can deal with such a large intake of people so I surmise that they will have to start charging taxes to pay for such a large population growth! Can someone please explain how all this works!

bitrich
Tue 13 Oct 09 (07:21am)

The great danger here is that Rudd Labor are so skilled at dodging the truth about the cost of their actions that it ends up the Coaltion are the bringers of bad tidings. And in a dumbed down political world the electorate shoots the messenger.

For every act of “compensation”, whether it be big polluter or poor consumer, someone else is left with a bigger bill to pay. Once the aspirationals feel this, stand back.

Greig
Tue 13 Oct 09 (07:32am)

At last!  A journalist with the gumption to call a spade a spade.  Now are you seeing why the Coalition is tearing itself apart?  The ETS is the total opposite of Coalition policy, which favours tax reduction in individuals and business to stimulate the economic activity and employment.  The ETS slugs everyone, across the board, and will reduce business activity.  And unlike the GST which was a reform (replacement of wholesale tax), the ETS is an additional tax.

It’s an Energy Taxation Scheme.  And we voted for it!

No wonder the ALP was so keen to change the name to CPRS.

Colin
Tue 13 Oct 09 (07:37am)

Christian, I’m amazed that your otherwise excellent article misses THE fundamental point here. Even though you’re 100% right that the obvious attack is to call it for what it is, whilst ever the Coalition is led by Goldman Sachs’ man in Canberra (MT), they are never going to attack the ETS as a “tax”. Why?  Goldman/MT want an ETS too, that’s why!  None of them could care less what the general public might think about a massive new tax on everything… that’s why it’s being slid past the voters (by both sides of politics) under false labels (ie, Carbon “Pollution") and Orwellian double-speak.  Call it, truthfully, a massive new Tax on Everything to fund a new global derivatives trading bubble for Goldman Sachs and high-rolling mates, and you’d see voter “support” for this particular form of “climate action” crater. They know it… that’s why all the dishonesty.

Dumb Voter Learning
Tue 13 Oct 09 (07:51am)

Quick Question - these ‘rights’ that are purchased and thus paid for ... what is that money used for ? where does this money go ? how does this positively assist the environment ? or is this a general style revenue source for the Government that they then wash into the system and use for any old port barrelling ? even if they call it “environmentally sound” policy !