The Australian Government must follow the lead of the Queensland Labor government and release modelling of the carbon tax's impact on regional Australia said Senator Joyce today.
"I applaud the Queensland government's efforts to at least release modelling showing the impact of the carbon tax on regional Australia" said Senator Joyce.
"To date the Federal Labor government has released no such modelling. How can you buy a product when you don't know what is being sold? How can you vote for a tax when you don’t know its effect on your people?
"Let's use a doctor analogy. You go to the doctor, he says that I have a major operation I want you to undergo on all of your vital organs and it's going to be really, really good for you.
"You ask him to tell you what are the downsides of the operation and he says sorry I can't tell you they're highly confidential. You also later find out that the operation is going to have no effect on your health whatsoever, it is merely a gesture.
"Now a second opinion from a whole lot of other doctors, from similar fields, is telling you that the operation could actually be really, really dangerous.
"When asked in Question Time today, Senator Penny Wong said that the government had released 'pages and pages' of economic modelling, but none of these show the impact on regional Australia.
"The Federal Labor Government should follow the lead of Queensland Labor and release modelling of the carbon tax's impact on regional Australia. Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott, who purport to represent regional Australia, should call on the government to do just this.
Economic modelling released by the Queensland Government today reveals that regional Queensland will be the epicentre of the carbon tax detriment to future prosperity. The Rockhampton and Gladstone area will see economic activity fall by 8.2 per cent under a carbon tax, the Mackay area by 5.7 per cent, double to triple the impact of the carbon tax on the rest of Australia.
"Queensland Treasury's own modelling shows that Queensland will be hit the hardest by a carbon tax."
Queensland Treasury estimates that there would be 41,000 fewer Queensland jobs by 2050 under a carbon tax. Economic output is predicted to be 3.5 per cent lower in Queensland in 2050 under a carbon tax, compared to 2.5 per cent lower in Australia.
"Why are Anna Bligh and Andrew Fraser supporting a carbon tax that targets Queensland's vital organs, its coal, electricity, manufacturing and tourism industries?
Earlier this year Anna Bligh said she would be "putting Queensland first" when responding to the carbon tax. I am glad she is not my economic doctor but unfortunately for this operation Julia Gillard is.
I've got this sinking feeling that Julia Gillard is about to tell me that she has "full confidence" in a carbon tax.