Carbon tax

[AnonymouslyBad]

Of course, the only reason fuel for private cars is exempt from the carbon tax is to try and reduce opposition to the policy.

It hasn't worked, so all this watering down of the tax has proven to be rather pointless.

I'm sure I remember reading that airlines are exempt too? So - public transport seems to be OK when it actually burns though huge amounts of fuel (admittedly out of necessity), but greener forms of public transport have to pay.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Carbon tax power pain on the way

[ozbob]

Media release 29 July 2011 re-released 24 August 2011

Australia: Carbon price policy still off the rails

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers strongly supported the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) in their call for 'Two thirds of the transport budget should be spent on public and active transport and one third should be spent on roads' (1). The carbon price policy recently put forward by the Federal Government actually penalises rail and public transport and favours more transport pollution by cars and trucks.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Australia blunders on with worsening road congestion and road trauma, and public transport poor utilisation and development. In the face of looming oil price rise crises and failing road non-solutions the authorities continue to ignore reality and waste yet more scarce funds and further exacerbate environmental damage and cause massive cost impacts by encouraging more cars and trucks on already congested and damaged roads (2)."

"Time is running out.  The ACF is correct in their call for the funding imbalance to roads be corrected with the majority of funding directed to sustainable transport solutions."

"A carbon price policy that exempts cars, but not public transport will simply mean increased fares for public transport which will in turn drive people back to cars, with the massive flow on cost impacts of increased congestion, worsening pollution and increased health sector costs from road trauma (3). The fact that this is embedded in the carbon price policy means that the policy will actually increase pollution rather than reduce it. This stamps the carbon price policy as stupid!"

"All State jurisdictions are increasingly becoming concerned with this perverse outcome of the proposed carbon price policy."

"We call on the Federal Government to ammend the carbon price policy so that public transport is exempt, in the same way that cars are, and rail is treated equitably with road transport."

References:

1. Australia's public transport a poor cousin to roads http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=3378

2. Australia faces looming fuel shortages http://www.aspo-australia.org.au/References/Aleklett/News-release-v4-JG.doc

3. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6359.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Opposition Statement

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/

Labor panic leaves DG in the dark

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has been kept in the dark over the Bligh Government's carbon tax plans, the State Opposition said today.

LNP Shadow Transport Minister Scott Emerson said Transport Minister Palaszczuk was out of touch with Queensland families on the impact of the carbon tax and out of touch with her own public service.

"We have a dysfunctional Bligh Labor Government that has failed to even consult with senior public servants about the impact of their carbon tax policy that will create a $1.2 billion black hole in the state budget," said Mr Emerson.

Yesterday the Bligh Government stated higher electricity costs from the carbon tax would add an estimated $5 million to the cost of providing passenger rail services in 2012-13.

Under questioning during today's Transport, Local Government and Infrastructure Committee public meeting, Department of Transport and Main Roads Director-General David Stewart said "The policy position [of the carbon tax] has not been made clear to me."

"Minister Palaszczuk's decision to absorb the cost of the carbon tax was a panicked move fuelled by her decision to increase public transport fares by 15 per cent every year until 2014," said Mr Emerson.

"Labor aren't just out of touch with the community on cost of living pressures, they're out of touch with their own public service.

"And it's not just rail passengers that will feel more pain," Mr Emerson warned.

"Small operators and businesses in the transport and freight industry will be crippled by the carbon tax from 2014 onwards, and face job losses as they are 'consolidated' by the bigger companies.

"The CanDo LNP team is totally opposed to Labor's carbon tax and will fight for Queensland jobs and Queensland businesses."

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Gillard and Baillieu clash over likely impact of carbon tax

[ozbob]

http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Communiques/11-08-25_OpenLetter_CarbonPrice.pdf

25 August 2011

Open letter to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport: The carbon
price package unfairly disadvantages rail, the emissions friendly mode

Dear Minister,

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) wishes to highlight its concerns over the carbon
price package and provide solutions for improving the effectiveness of the recently released
Securing a clean energy future: The Australian Government's climate change plan ('the
Plan').

The ARA, on behalf of the Australian rail industry, wishes to convey its disappointment at
the Plan's application to the transport sector, including:
- The limited access for rail entities to the various clean energy and energy
efficiency funds;
- the transitory exemption of heavy road vehicles from the carbon price
mechanism without similar exemption for rail operators;
- The exemption of foreign shipping from the carbon price; and
- The exemption of petrol from a carbon price without similar exemptions for
public transport.

The ARA seeks amendments to the Plan including greater access for the transport sector to
clean energy and energy efficiency funds set up under the Plan, a two year
exemption for rail freight operations that compete with heavy road freight vehicles;
and the revision of the Plan to ensure that domestic freight carried on foreign ships
is included in a carbon price mechanism.

The rail industry is disappointed at the application of the carbon price to the
transport sector. The rail industry has supported action on climate change and is
willing to bear the costs of a carbon price if it were fairly applied across the transport
sector. To put the carbon price impost into context, increased electricity and diesel
prices will cost the rail industry around $100 million annually.

The rail industry is concerned about the two year carbon price exemption granted to
heavy road vehicles. It is counterintuitive carbon price policy to attach additional
charges to the more emissions friendly mode of transport, especially when the
modes compete in the same market. Intermodal rail freight creates around 3 times
fewer emissions when compared to heavy vehicle road freight.

Our concern extends beyond the two year period of the heavy road vehicle
exemption. We note that the exemption will be reviewed and possibly removed by 1
July 2014. The phasing out of the heavy vehicle exemption is by no means certain.
We fear that the carbon price exemption for heavy vehicles will be extended
indefinitely.

The imperative for the heavy vehicle exemption seems to stem from the need to
provide truck operators with time to adjust to the carbon price mechanism and to
minimise potential job losses. The rail industry faces similar, if not greater,
adjustment costs. A carbon price will only have a marginal impact on what rail
operators can do in terms of reducing emissions in the short-medium term and will
adversely impact on rail's operational costs. Many small operators, such as SCT
Logistics, El Zorro, South Short Haul Rail and Independent Rail Australia, will
struggle to cope with this new tax, especially when combined with the exemptions
granted to their road freight competitors. Our preliminary research suggests that
intermodal and grain rail freight will shrink by 4% as a direct result of the carbon tax.
Smaller operators will bear the brunt of this decrease. This policy setting will bring
about job losses within the rail industry and increase the transport sector's energy
and emissions intensity.

The perverse outcome of the current carbon policy will be that the populations of
Western Australia and North Queensland will pay increased prices for their goods,
including groceries and clothing, as a result of this policy. More than 80% of goods
moved between the east coast and Western Australia go by rail. Without adequate
time to adjust to the carbon price, operators will have to pass on increased costs to
consumers. This will also adversely affect rail's share of this freight market, and
subsequently increase the overall emissions for freight to and from Western
Australia.

The ARA seeks similar transitory measures for the rail operators who compete with
heavy road vehicle users. The proposed transitory exemption would mainly apply to
intermodal and grain rail freight services. The cost of the proposed rail exemption
over two years would not exceed $20 million. The equivalent exemption for heavy
road vehicles does not discriminate between small and large operators, and will cost
the Government in excess of $200 million in lost revenue. The fate of rail freight
operators competing with road freight should be linked and treated equally under
the carbon price mechanism.

Similarly, the exemption of foreign shipping from a carbon price mechanism is a
concern to all domestic freight operators. Of particular concern is the effective
carbon price exemption of domestic freight transported on foreign ships. This
essentially places domestic freight operators, including domestic shippers, at a
further price disadvantage and risks Australian jobs in the transport sector.
The ARA further seeks clarification as to the eligibility of the rail industry to the
various proposed climate change funds. Upon our initial reading of the Plan, and
based on the limited details available, the rail industry seems to be only afforded
limited access to the billions of dollars in complimentary measures provided, with
the $200 million Clean Technology Innovation Program being most applicable to
rail. Rail is a capital intensive industry with extremely long asset lives. This acts as a
barrier to the uptake of new technologies and processes that would lead to
significant change in the emissions intensity of the rail industry. Greater access to
funds that promote energy efficiency and technology innovation would help alleviate
these barriers. Access to such funds would provide the greatest emissions savings
in the rail industry.

The ARA is frustrated by the exemptions on petrol and the failure to grant
exemptions to public transport. However, this matter is best dealt with between the
federal and state governments.

While the rail industry acknowledges and welcomes the Government's increased
spending on rail infrastructure, it should be noted that the spending has only
increased rail's share of land transport infrastructure expenditure to around 18%,
while road receives 82%. Furthermore, creating pricing disparities between road
and rail, through unequal application of pricing and taxation mechanisms will negate
the benefits of this increased rail infrastructure spend and jeopardise any potential
return on capital for the Government.

The Australian rail industry urges the Minister and the Government to seriously
consider the reasonable and rational amendments to the carbon price package
outlined in this letter.

Yours sincerely,
Bryan Nye
Chief Executive Officer

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Regional airline Rex warns about carbon tax and its effect on ticket pricing

[ozbob]

Carbon Tax Daily --> click here!

[somebody]

Has anyone seen the ads promoting this tax?  I don't know about anyone else, but they don't come over well at all.  Saying that only the "biggest polluters" will pay: well, how dumb do they think the electorate is?

[Golliwog]

I don't think they think we're dumb, but perhaps the tax is poorly explained by the ads. That only the biggest polluters pay is the truth though. How much of the tax we actually pay depends on how much the business decides to pass on to us.

[somebody]

I don't think they think we're dumb, but perhaps the tax is poorly explained by the ads. That only the biggest polluters pay is the truth though. How much of the tax we actually pay depends on how much the business decides to pass on to us.

Er, perhaps they will pass on all of it?

[Golliwog]

Er, perhaps they will pass on all of it?

More than likely, but this is business and he who has a cheaper product more than likely wins. If they absorb some or all of the extra cost than they have to potential to increase sales over the companies who do pass on the cost of the tax.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Go back to the drawing board, Gillard told

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

8th September 2011

Carbon stupidity

Greetings,

Some more interesting comment on the stupid carbon price policy with respect to transport ...

The concluding sentence sums it up well:

"One can only hope that eventually common senses prevails and that the Federal Government can shake itself out of its malaise, but the very fact that they have prepared a policy that is supposed to reduce emissions, but will actually result in a movement of freight from rail to road, and commuters off their trains and into the cars, really does really beggar belief."

===============================================
Rail Express -> Government still ignoring benefits of rail


By Mark Carter

It has been obvious for many years that rail has the most to offer when it comes to providing the best transport solutions with the potential to alleviate carbon emissions and improve our quality of life, but unfortunately the message still does not seem to be getting through to our politicians.

Last month, it was good to see the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) gain some valuable air-time and a platform to launch its report The True Value of Rail, commissioned Deloitte Access Economics, at the National Press Club.

The ARA says the report for the first time quantifies the economic, social and environmental benefits of rail investment – often referred to as "externalities" – and is urging governments across Australia to unlock the billions of dollars lost annually in economic productivity, urban congestion and traffic accidents by delivering greater investment in rail infrastructure.

In launching the report ARA chairman Lance Hockridge said, "The report provides a very telling commentary on the results of slow, sometimes misguided transport reform in this country over recent decades and this manifests itself not only in extra costs and lost production, but also in poorer outcomes for health, safety and liveability".

ARA chief executive Bryan Nye followed on by saying, "Since 1985, governments have invested more than $293bn on roads".

"Continuing our irresponsible spending on roads will lead us no-where. Governments must consider the true costs and benefits of each transport mode when making investment decisions and developing transport policies," Nye said.

While I feel the way some of the findings of the report have been oversimplified a tad too much for public consumption, this is but a minor quibble and the ARA is to be commended for again attempting to push rail in the spotlight, especially as the debate over carbon emissions ramps up.

The worrying thing though is that the rail industry has been saying these same things over and over for at least two decades now.

I'm sure if I went back and dug out some of the stuff I wrote 20 years ago for Rail 2000, it may not have been as eloquent or as detailed as The True Value of Rail, but the general gist of what we were trying to get across would have been the same.

Through the ARA, the rail industry has gained a much higher profile, more of a presence in Canberra and is certainly listened to a great deal more than we were back in the Rail 2000 days, but it has to be asked, "Are our politicians any the wiser?"   

Unfortunately it would appear not, for just a fortnight after the release of The True Value of Rail, the ARA was forced to issue a communique highlighting the range of inequities imposed upon rail by the Federal Government's carbon pricing plan, Securing a Clean Energy Future.

The key areas of concern for the ARA are:

•    The transitory exemption of heavy road vehicles from the carbon price mechanism without similar exemption for rail operators.

•    The exemption of foreign shipping from the carbon price.

•    The exemption of petrol from a carbon price, without similar exemptions for public transport.

•    The limited access for rail entities to the various clean energy and energy efficiency funds.

Now some would argue that the need to take the government to task over these points is just part of a fine tuning process that precedes most policy releases; the jostling and stakeholder engagement that always seems to be part of the endgame.

Unfortunately this time around I don't think that's the case.

I suggest you take a moment to go back and read again the four dot points that I've listed.

Let's face it, if you were a government and you were casting around for some non-controversial, low cost options that clearly demonstrated your commitment to reducing emissions and combating climate change, surely all four of those would qualify hands down as part of your policy?

The message just doesn't seem to be getting through to our elected representatives, though it has not been for the want of trying and who still think giving trucks a free ride will solve everything.

Quoted in last week's Rail Express, ARA chief economist Ash Salardini said the draft policy would see containerised freight lose about 5% of its market share.

Salardini said the ARA was not asking for Australia's entire rail industry to be exempt, but it was advocating for rail to be exempt where rail and road competed in the same market.

"A carbon price would only have a marginal impact on what rail operators could do in terms of reducing emissions in the short-medium term and would adversely impact on rail's operational costs," he said.

Salardini said under the government's carbon price package, Australia could also expect to see an increase in transport emissions and public transport fares.

"The carbon price was an issue raised by most states at COAG's recent meeting, with some governments requesting the Federal Government provide further compensation because of the carbon price's effect on public transport, however, the Government did not appear to agree," he said.

One can only hope that eventually common senses prevails and that the Federal Government can shake itself out of its malaise, but the very fact that they have prepared a policy that is supposed to reduce emissions, but will actually result in a movement of freight from rail to road, and commuters off their trains and into the cars, really does really beggar belief.

=========================================

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

On 24/08/2011 3:23 AM, RAIL Back On Track Admin wrote:
Media release 29 July 2011 re-released 24 August 2011

Australia: Carbon price policy still off the rails

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers strongly supported the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) in their call for 'Two thirds of the transport budget should be spent on public and active transport and one third should be spent on roads' (1). The carbon price policy recently put forward by the Federal Government actually penalises rail and public transport and favours more transport pollution by cars and trucks.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Australia blunders on with worsening road congestion and road trauma, and public transport poor utilisation and development. In the face of looming oil price rise crises and failing road non-solutions the authorities continue to ignore reality and waste yet more scarce funds and further exacerbate environmental damage and cause massive cost impacts by encouraging more cars and trucks on already congested and damaged roads (2)."

"Time is running out.  The ACF is correct in their call for the funding imbalance to roads be corrected with the majority of funding directed to sustainable transport solutions."

"A carbon price policy that exempts cars, but not public transport will simply mean increased fares for public transport which will in turn drive people back to cars, with the massive flow on cost impacts of increased congestion, worsening pollution and increased health sector costs from road trauma (3). The fact that this is embedded in the carbon price policy means that the policy will actually increase pollution rather than reduce it. This stamps the carbon price policy as stupid!"

"All State jurisdictions are increasingly becoming concerned with this perverse outcome of the proposed carbon price policy."

"We call on the Federal Government to ammend the carbon price policy so that public transport is exempt, in the same way that cars are, and rail is treated equitably with road transport."

References:

1. Australia's public transport a poor cousin to roads http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=3378

2. Australia faces looming fuel shortages http://www.aspo-australia.org.au/References/Aleklett/News-release-v4-JG.doc

3. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6359.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the Sydney Morning Herald click here!

Dispute over carbon claims

Dispute over carbon claims
Josephine Tovey
September 14, 2011

THE federal Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet, has accused the O'Farrell government of exaggerating the impact of the carbon tax on public transport and ''sexing up'' documents, after the release of Treasury modelling and a heavily edited brief.

The modelling showed fare increases of less than 0.4 per cent by 2013 and 0.5 per cent by 2020. The Premier, Barry O'Farrell, warned in July via a press release that transport fares would rise up to 3.6 per cent, despite advice the real impact was likely to only be 1 per cent if the existing IPART methodology was used. Mr Combet accused the Premier of a blatant disregard for the truth.

''The documents show disgraceful efforts by the Premier's political advisers to cover up the results of the Transport Department's advice through selective quoting and 'sexing-it-up style' reworking of the material,'' he said.
Advertisement: Story continues below

Mr O'Farrell stood by his original comments yesterday.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/dispute-over-carbon-claims-20110913-1k7wh.html

A carbon tax/price/policy that favours cars and trucks over public transport and rail is fundamentally flawed IMHO.

[SurfRail]

From what I can gather, O'Farrell's numbers are wrong and he is grandstanding, but he is right to complain about any impost which adversely affects the rail industry and not roads.

Mind you, a half-decent operator like MTR could probably deal with the carbon tax impact, slash the deadwood and get IPART to reduce ticket prices anway.

[shiftyphil]

Story of Barry O'Farrell's cooked numbers is here: http://www.afr.com/p/national/how_to_cook_up_carbon_tax_story_hoOqXPowtk0YihTtmkIJZO

While I agree it's backwards having the tax affect public transport and not cars, the actual impost is pretty small (<1% to ticket prices).

[ozbob]

Yes, but perverse for a policy that is for the environmental good.  Who knows, what might happen in parliament ...

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Oppn asks Gillard to abandon carbon ads

Oppn asks Gillard to abandon carbon ads
September 18, 2011 - 10:54AM

AAP

The opposition is writing to the prime minister demanding the government withdraw a $25 million advertising campaign promoting the carbon tax.

The coalition also wants the government to provide revised Treasury modelling of the tax to a parliamentary inquiry.

Opposition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt says the government is not being honest by claiming its carbon tax will reduce Australian's carbon emissions.
Advertisement: Story continues below

Under Labor's proposed carbon pricing regime up to $3.5 billion could be spent on buying carbon credits overseas by 2020.

"It's not going to clean up Australia, Mr Hunt told ABC television on Sunday, adding that increases in energy prices would not be enough to meet emissions reduction targets.

The government's ad campaign was misleading because it did not tell Australians huge amounts of tax revenue would be funnelled overseas, he said.

It was "a very odd situation" that contradicted the government's rhetoric and advertising.

The opposition would write to Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and ask her to pull a taxpayer-funded ad campaign promoting its clean energy package, Mr Hunt said.

He warned the overseas carbon credit market largely was "extremely undeveloped" and susceptible to fraud.

"Many of them are likely to be of dubious provenance," he said.

© 2011 AAP

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Labor slumps to fresh low in Newspoll

[ozbob]

Opposition Statement

http://www.liberal.org.au/Latest-News/2011/09/28/Transport-costs-expose-carbon-tax-lie.aspx

Transport costs expose carbon tax lie

28/09/11

The Hon Warren Truss MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

More than 100,000 businesses that use diesel or petrol will cop the brunt of the carbon tax.

Putting paid to Julia Gillard's claim that only 500 big polluters will pay, it has been revealed that Australia's 47,000 trucking businesses, 60,000 other businesses that rely on fuel and the bus industry will pay under the new tax regime.

"It's a carbon tax hit to well over 100,000 businesses based on fuel costs alone – that's a far cry from 500," Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Warren Truss said today.

"Under the carbon tax, the fuel tax credits scheme for heavy vehicles will be reduced by almost 7 cents per litre from 1 July 2014.

"In its submission to the government's Joint Select Committee examining the carbon tax, the Australian Trucking Association said:

'The Australian Government has stated that carbon pricing will only affect around 500 polluters. But the planned changes to the fuel tax credits system will impose an effective carbon price on every one of Australia's 47,000 trucking businesses. 85 per cent of these businesses are small businesses with fewer than five employees. They are no different to the other small businesses that are permanently exempt from the carbon price, except they happen to operate trucks weighing more than 4.5 tonnes.' (See page 3)

"The Minerals Council of Australia's submission shows that the carbon price on fuel will apply to more than 60,000 businesses from 1 July 2012, among them tens of thousands of small businesses, covering 22,500 in construction; 5,350 in manufacturing; 5,305 businesses in retail and wholesale trades; thousands of tourism operators, including accommodation and food service businesses; 1,500 mining operations; several hospitals and large healthcare providers; and 775 education and training sector bodies. (See page 24)

"In its submission to the Committee, the Bus Industry Confederation added:

'With anticipated increases factored into the carbon price and Road User Charge we anticipate the fuel cost of bus operations will increase by more than 9 cents per litre by 2016. Professor Stanley of the University of Sydney anticipates an increase of more than $40 million per year in operating costs as a result of the imposition of the carbon price on buses.

'When factored into a five-year rolling plan for State Governments this is an added increase in operating costs of bus public transport of more than $200 million, which will need to be recouped from users or made budget neutral through reduced spending on new and more vehicles in the fleet and worse still a reduction to existing services and no new services.' (See page 6)

"The carbon tax is a rolling attack on the transport sector, slugging businesses – big and small – and inflicting mass casualties on the Australian jobs they support.

"But, clearly, it's also a tax on families. With the bulk of goods transported around this country coming via on-road freight, families will inevitably feel the squeeze as those higher running costs hit the tills at checkouts.

"Bizarrely, bus fares will also increase while some services may disappear altogether. This will see passengers replaced by more private vehicles on the road, which is counter-intuitive to the desire to curb emissions.

"These reverberations will be most severe in regional areas, where families, businesses and entire communities will carry a disproportionately higher burden. Most of the lost jobs will be in regional Australia, but it's clear that Labor, the Greens and Independents are careering out-of-control and just don't care."

The submissions cited are available at:

ATA: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jscacefl/subs/Sub0027ATA.pdf

MCA: http://www.mineralscouncil.com.au/file_upload/files/submissions/CC_submission_CEF_legislation_Minerals_sector.pdf

BIC: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jscacefl/subs/Sub046BIC.pdf

[#Metro]

  Ugh!

Putting paid to Julia Gillard's claim that only 500 big polluters will pay, it has been revealed that Australia's 47,000 trucking businesses, 60,000 other businesses that rely on fuel and the bus industry will pay under the new tax regime.

This is perhaps the most ingenious pieces of the carbon tax, absolutely genius! By taxing only 500 top polluters, the domino effect allows the price of carbon to filter across the entire economy and be incorporated into the prices of everything without actually having to do the sums and calculate the carbon contributions/emissions of every single product and service that is out there!

These type of releases are just panic-inducing fluff and I never take them seriously. It is like the sky will fall down every time you read one.

[#Metro]

'With anticipated increases factored into the carbon price and Road User Charge we anticipate the fuel cost of bus operations will increase by more than 9 cents per litre by 2016. Professor Stanley of the University of Sydney anticipates an increase of more than $40 million per year in operating costs as a result of the imposition of the carbon price on buses.

Duh! This is the WHOLE IDEA! If your bus is of the polluting kind then you pay! Of course if you want to avoid the charge, then you get a bus that doesn't use as much fuel (stimulates demand for manufacturers to make more efficient buses) and to use greener fuels that might not cost as much.

What? Do people expect that people will just voluntarily change their behavior for free?

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

12th October 2011

Re: Australia: Carbon tax policy has a major flaw

Greetings,

The carbon price policy / tax / levy whatever is an electoral poison pill in its present form.  The fact that public transport and rail is disadvantaged with respect to cars and trucks is just a recipe for disaster.

It is simply unbelievable that the Greens and Labor can be so utterly stupid.  Electoral ruin awaits.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

==================================

From the Couriermail --> here!

Queensland Rail among several state-owned corporations warning of annual energy cost rises from carbon tax

Queensland Rail among several state-owned corporations warning of annual energy cost rises from carbon tax

    by: Steven Scott
    From: The Courier-Mail
    October 12, 2011 12:00AM

COMMUTERS could see higher annual price rises to train tickets after Queensland Rail warned the carbon tax was likely to push up its costs by more than $5 million a year.

Queensland Rail is among several state-owned corporations to warn of annual energy cost rises from the carbon tax, documents obtained by The Courier-Mail under Right to Information laws reveal.

The warnings came as the Gillard Government's package of carbon tax bills is set to pass the House of Representatives today.

State-owned power generators CS Energy, Stanwell Power and Tarong Energy have already posted combined losses of nearly $1.1 billion as a result of a write-down to their value from the carbon tax.

But Queensland Treasury documents reveal a wider range of state-owned corporations, including Queensland Rail, Sunwater and ports around the state, have warned of impending cost rises.

Queensland Rail told the state Treasury its costs are likely to rise by more than $5 million a year over the next three years, mostly driven by a more than 10 per cent expected annual hike to energy prices.

Gladstone Ports Corporation said costs would rise about $2.4 million next year.

Federal Parliament sat late last night to squeeze in nearly 40 hours of debate on the carbon tax Bills. Labor has enough support to pass the changes through parliament.

The Government yesterday won backing for its $300 million compensation package for steelmakers after the Greens dropped their objections.

Julia Gillard told the Labor caucus yesterday that voters would start to support the carbon tax when it was enacted.

On 11/10/2011 7:35 AM, RAIL Back On Track Admin wrote:
Media release 10 July 2011 re-released 11 October 2011

Australia: Carbon tax policy has a major flaw

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said the failure to treat all transport modes equally with the introduction of the carbon tax penalises the sustainable transport mode namely rail, and suggests that the Carbon Tax is just desperate politics rather than decent policy.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The carbon tax penalises rail but promotes road transport.  This will lead to further out of control congestion, massive damage to roads, escalating health costs as road trauma increases, and does nothing to lower the carbon foot print of the transport sector."

"Of real concern is how such a flawed decision can be part of a well planned, well considered policy.  It suggests that the rest of the Carbon Tax Policy may well be suspect."

"We support the Australasian Railway Association's call to rethink the transport implications of the carbon tax (1).  The plan with respect to transport as presented today is perverse, illogical, and anti-environment."

Reference:

1. http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Media%20Releases/Carbon%20Tax%20Punishes%20Emissions%20friendly%20Rail.pdf

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Couriermail  --> Carbon tax vote clears Lower House

==============

Hopefully the Senate, will ensure that the flaws in the legislation with respect to transport are addressed ...

[ozbob]

Blog comment:

The failure to treat all transport modes equally with the introduction of the carbon tax penalises the sustainable land transport mode namely rail, and suggests that the Carbon Tax is just desperate politics rather than decent policy.

The carbon tax plan as presented penalises rail but promotes road transport.  This will lead to further out of control congestion, massive damage to roads, more escalating health costs as road trauma increases, and does nothing to lower the carbon foot print of the transport sector. A policy that promotes car use but penalises public and active transport is idiotic.

Of real concern is how such a flawed decision can be part of a well planned, well considered policy.  It suggests that the rest of the Carbon Tax Policy may well be suspect.  Hopefully the Senate will do its job and fix the flaws.

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times click here!


http://media.apnonline.com.au/img/media/images/2011/10/14/IQT_15-10-2011_EGN_09_TRAINNEW_fct1004x618_t325.jpg
Rail Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow.
Ashleigh Howarth

Tax on trains 'idiotic'

Tax on trains 'idiotic'

Zane Jackson | 15th October 2011

AN IPSWICH public transport advocate has branded the Federal Government's carbon pricing scheme as idiotic because it penalises rail but not motor vehicles.

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said it didn't make sense that car and road transport polluted more but was tax exempt.

Mr Dow said rail will be forced to raise ticket prices or cut services to counter the cost of the carbon tax, even though public transport reduces the number of polluting cars on the roads.

"The carbon tax legislation as presented penalises rail but promotes road transport and cars," he said.

"This will lead to further out-of-control congestion, massive damage to roads, more escalating health costs as road trauma increases, and does nothing to lower the carbon footprint of the transport sector.

"A policy that promotes car use but penalises public and active transport is idiotic."

The Australasian Railway Association has also backed Mr Dow's claims, claiming it punishes environmentally friendly rail and rewards heavy vehicles.

But Blair MP Shayne Neumann, whose government voted the carbon pricing legislation through the lower house this week, said it will have little impact on rail costs.

"The Government's carbon price reforms will have little impact on the cost of train fares," he said.

He said research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed ticket prices are not the reason why more people aren't using public transport, with less than 2% of non-users nominating it as the reason for using their car.

Mr Neumann said the research showed a lack of a regular, reliable and timely service was the primary reason for people not using public transport.

"That's why we're making a historic $7.3 billion investment in the urban rail infrastructure in all the mainland capitals - Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide - as well as the Gold Coast," he said.

He said more than four million households are set to receive assistance worth 20 per cent more than their average expected price impact from a carbon price.

The carbon pricing legislation has to pass through the senate before becoming law.

[Fares_Fair]

Quote from story above
But Blair MP Shayne Neumann, whose government voted the carbon pricing legislation through the lower house this week, said it will have little impact on rail costs.

"The Government's carbon price reforms will have little impact on the cost of train fares," he said.

He said research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed ticket prices are not the reason why more people aren't using public transport, with less than 2% of non-users nominating it as the reason for using their car.

That's not what Mr Paul Scurrah, CEO of QR said in a Courier-Mail story last week, (IIRC and I'm open to correction) a figure of $5 million was mentioned and this would impact or have to be recouped by fare prices or words to that effect.

It's absolutely OXY-MORONIC !
It's more about a tax than saving the planet and this is proven by the idiotic plan being implemented and quoted in the story quoting Robert Dow above.

[ozbob]

Check out the blog comments on the noble QT blog; remember this is Labor heart land ...

--> http://www.qt.com.au/story/2011/10/15/taxontrainsidiotic/

[#Metro]

What we need to know is how much will it cost QR, and TransLink?

[Stillwater]

Concerned for his seat, Mr Neumann is blowing smoke up people's arses.   

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Labor lifts, but more voters reject carbon tax

... LABOR'S primary vote has lifted and Julia Gillard has cut Tony Abbott's lead as preferred prime minister, but the government would be swept away in an election now by a two-party 57-43 per cent landslide.

As ministers battled to contain the fallout from a damaging cabinet leak, the latest Age-Nielsen poll also found opposition to the carbon tax - which last week passed the lower house amid scenes of government jubilation - has risen 3 points to 59 per cent.

Labor's primary vote is up 3 points from last month to 30 per cent - its first time out of the 20s since May ...

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/labor-lifts-but-more-voters-reject-carbon-tax-20111016-1lrm6.html

[frereOP]

Quote from story above
But Blair MP Shayne Neumann, whose government voted the carbon pricing legislation through the lower house this week, said it will have little impact on rail costs.

"The Government's carbon price reforms will have little impact on the cost of train fares," he said.

He said research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed ticket prices are not the reason why more people aren't using public transport, with less than 2% of non-users nominating it as the reason for using their car.

That's not what Mr Paul Scurrah, CEO of QR said in a Courier-Mail story last week, (IIRC and I'm open to correction) a figure of $5 million was mentioned and this would impact or have to be recouped by fare prices or words to that effect.

It's absolutely OXY-MORONIC !
It's more about a tax than saving the planet and this is proven by the idiotic plan being implemented and quoted in the story quoting Robert Dow above.

Taxes serve 2 different purposes.

• to raise revenue so governments can function (or malfunction as the case may be).
• to effect behavioural change (called "social engineering").

When the two purposes get confued, they serve neither purpose well.  The carbon tax is designed to effect social change (well, it is supposed to be revenue neutral) but it fails because it reimburses those from whom the tax is collected in the first place.

There should be NO exceptions, which is why a carbon trading scheme is a better option.  What we are left with now is a replay of the GST fiasco where some things are exempt because of the political difficulty in implementing a policy that should be applied across the board and without exception.  And we all lose out!

[ozbob]

The Australian --> Coalition and carbon support fall: Newspoll

[ozbob]

Hopefully I've offended by both pro- and anti- Carbon Tax people with this video.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Senate passes carbon tax

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> It's done. Now for the carbon poll

[ozbob]

Premier of Victoria - Statement

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2428-carbon-tax-scheme-increases-uncertainty-for-victorian-families-and-businesses.html

Carbon tax scheme increases uncertainty for Victorian families and businesses

Tuesday, 08 November 2011
From the Minister for Energy and Resources

The passage of the Gillard Government's carbon tax legislation through Federal Parliament today will only increase the uncertainty already confronting Victorian households and businesses.

The Gillard Government's carbon tax will hit the Victorian State Budget hard, with increased energy costs affecting everything from schools and hospitals to public transport.

Analysis released by the Victorian Coalition Government from leading economic consultancy Deloitte Access Economics shows that by 2015:

    there will be 35,000 fewer jobs than would have been the case without a carbon tax;
    investment will be down almost $6.3 billion, or 6.6 per cent;
    per capita income will be more than $1,050 lower; and
    the Victorian State Budget is predicted to be almost $660 million worse off.

The carbon tax comes at a time when the global economy continues to face real uncertainty.

The Gillard Government's carbon tax will not enhance Victoria's or Australia's economic productivity. It will only cost Victorian families and businesses.

There are many issues yet to be resolved, including how the Gillard Government will deal with the impact of the carbon tax on heavily-affected regions like the Latrobe Valley.

To date, the Gillard Government has not engaged in any substantive discussion with the Victorian Government about how it will address these issues.

The Coalition Government has been standing up for the interests of Victorian families, businesses and communities by opposing the carbon tax which will disproportionately hurt Victoria.

By supporting the Gillard Government's carbon tax, Daniel Andrews and Victorian Labor have again proved they will always put the interests of their Labor mates in Canberra ahead of the interests of Victorians.

[Golliwog]

I call BS on it being the carbon tax that is causing the uncertainty. The price on carbon is going in, no questions. What is causing uncertainty is the oppositions "pledge in blood" to remove it if they get in.

[Fares_Fair]

I call BS on it being the carbon tax that is causing the uncertainty. The price on carbon is going in, no questions. What is causing uncertainty is the oppositions "pledge in blood" to remove it if they get in.

That would hardly cause uncertainty now.
The release is about the cost of energy increasing which it says affects Victoria disproportionately.

It also means for Queenslanders that train fares will rise with no benefit to the network or customers.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.