Dec 19: "No Carbon Tax Under the Goverment that I Lead"
What she said -
It was a very clear statement; but calling it "a lie" (as so many do) is a gross over-simplification of the complex events which actually occurred. So why do we now have a Carbon Tax?
The facts are:
- Following the 2007 election, both parties had at one stage supported a Carbon Tax (or an Emission Trading Scheme).
- Despite this, during the campaign for the 21st August 2010 election, both parties declared that they would not introduce a Carbon Tax.
- After the election, Australia found itself with a hung parliament, with independent MPs controlling the balance of power in the Lower House.
- Both parties were impotent without independent support.
- Both parties negotiated with Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Bob Katter to form a government.
- Windsor and Oakshott both insisted on climate change action as a condition of their support during negotiations with BOTH parties. It is on the public record.
- Tony Abbott responded to Tony Windsor that he "would do anything" to become Prime Minister. (See Windsor video below).
- On 7th September 2010, Windsor and Oakeshott came to an agreement with Gillard, whilst Katter went with the Coalition.
- As a consequence of Windsor and Oakshott supporting Gillard, she was able to form a minority government.
- Gillard was forced to introduce a Carbon Tax in return for independents propping up her government.
- Had Abbott been successful in winning the independents' support - he instead would have been forced to agree to a Carbon Tax, something he previously supported. (See Abbott video below).
- To become Prime Minister, Abbott - like Gillard - was also prepared to renege on his promise not to introduce a Carbon Tax.
Gillard didn't win 2010 election; and what Abbott said in post-election negotiations:
Tony Abbott:
Supported a Carbon Tax and asked "Why not ask electricity consumers to pay more?:
Earlier both Abbott and Gillard had supported a Carbon Tax. Then, like Tweedledum and Tweedledee, both changed their minds and rejected it; but regardless of their support or denial for a Carbon Tax, decisions of the utmost importance to the nation are decided by the 'Numbers Game'. The Independents won, not Julia Gillard. It is their tax, more than it is hers.
It is quite clear that if the Coalition parties had successfully negotiated a deal with the independent MPs, Windor and Oakeshott, to form an Abbott Government in September 2010, instead of a Gillard Government, Australia would still have a Carbon Tax (or an Emission Trading Scheme) in place. It would have been Tony Abbott and the Coalition Government supporting it; and it would have been an Opposition Labour Party (possibly led by Julia Gillard) attacking it and accusing Abbott of reneging on his election promise!
The vagaries of politics!
