Fletcher maintains pressure on the Prime Minister to ask the Australian people whether they say yes – or no – to a carbon tax

In a Question to Parliament this week, Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield, asked; ‘Given that the Prime Minister won an election based on the promise of no carbon tax, when will she do the right thing and ask the Australian people whether they say yes to a carbon tax, by calling an election before its introduction?’

Mr Fletcher also asked if the Prime Minister was aware of the Governor of New Jersey’s comments regarding that state’s withdrawal from a 10-state emissions trading scheme in the United States, that the scheme 'does nothing more than tax electricity, tax our citizens and tax our businesses, with no discernible or measurable impact upon our environment’?

‘Given that the Prime Minister won an election based on the promise of no carbon tax, when will she do the right thing and ask the Australian people whether they say yes to a carbon tax, by calling an election before its introduction?’ he further asked.

‘The Prime Minister is unwilling to go to the Australian people on this issue.’

‘However, the Gillard government’s Broadband Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, is quoted in today’s Australian Financial Review regarding the other burdensome and costly project, the NBN:

Asked why the government has not done more already to promote the project, which has come under sustained attack…Senator Conroy told journalists: “There was a bit of a referendum in August last year, which suggests that the NBN was not poorly sold.  Should we be doing more?  Absolutely.  And that’s what this initiative and strategy about.”’

Paul Fletcher will continue to push the Gillard government to be accountable to the Australian people on issues that costs the people of Bradfield dearly – through both the hip pocket and national economic budget.

Media Contact – Georgia-Kate Schubert 02 9465 3950 or 0414 210216