Joint statement from John Osborn, Chief Operating Officer, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Innes Willox, Chief Executive, Australian Industry Group; Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive, Business Council of Australia; and Brendan Pearson, Chief Executive, Minerals Council of Australia.

Four of Australia’s leading business groups are today calling on the Senate to swiftly repeal the carbon tax.

Australia’s carbon tax is one of the highest in the world. It is making our key industries less competitive every day it stays in place.

Most businesses have been unable to pass their carbon tax-related costs on to customers. For small business especially, this has been a major burden that has reduced profitability, suppressed employment and added to already difficult conditions.

The negative economic impact of the carbon tax on energy prices and jobs is recognised by both major parties. That is why there was bipartisan support for the ‘termination’ of the carbon tax at the last election.

Many cross-bench Senators were also elected on a platform of repealing the carbon tax. But timing makes all the difference.

Acting now to repeal the carbon tax would boost business confidence and should be part of a broader national push to reduce high energy costs.

Delaying repeal until the new Senate sits would not achieve anything for the environment. It would simply expose business to increasing and damaging uncertainty over the electricity prices they will be obliged to pay from 1 July 2014.

We urge the Senate to repeal the carbon tax as soon as possible.

For further information contact:

John Osborn, Chief Operating Officer, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, telephone (02) 6273 2311, mobile 0413 974 300

Tony Melville, Director Public Affairs and Government Relations, Australian Industry Group, mobile 0401 664 047

Scott Thompson, Director, Media and Public Affairs, Business Council of Australia, telephone (03) 8664 2603, mobile 0403 241 128

Ben Mitchell, Director – Public Affairs, Minerals Council of Australia, (02) 6233 0600, mobile 0419 850 212

Energy Can Be One of Our Great Advantages: Article in The Australian (27 February 2014)

Carbon Tax Repeal: Article by Jennifer Westacott in the AFR (19 November 2013)

Industry Groups United: Carbon Tax Must Go (13 November 2013)

Submission to the Department of the Environment on the Carbon Tax Repeal (November 2013)