Tony Windsor today has announced that he won’t support a plebiscite on the carbon tax. That means that the people of Tamworth, the people of Inverell, the people of Tenterfield, Armidale and Gunnedah and indeed all the people of New England will be denied a chance to have their say on the carbon tax.
The carbon tax will take at least $11 billion off ordinary Australians.
“If democracy means anything then it means that people should be able to say ‘yes or no’ to an $11 billion tax before they are shacked up with it” said Senator Barnaby Joyce.
“Tony Windsor now says that there is no need for a plebiscite because “there is no carbon tax”. Does that mean he will support one once the details of the carbon tax are announced?”
The Coalition recognises that it would take about 90 days to organise a plebiscite. Well after Multi-Party Climate Change Committee, which Mr Windsor is a member of, is meant to report the details of the tax.
“Mr. Windsor is the self-proclaimed “peoples’ representative” but is not prepared to let his “people” have a say on their future. He has stopped representing New England and is now dictating” said Senator John Williams.
“Please do not make us suffer this ridiculous little dance which so often happens, in which we know where you are going to end up but you think we are too foolish to understand your machinations. It seems awfully like you have already made your decision to support the carbon tax and now we have to go through this tooth-pulling agony of a charade as we wait for yet another press conference when you stand out the front and tell us something that we probably all guessed months ago” said Senator Joyce.
“The fact is Tony Windsor is now one of the most loyal lieutenants of the Australian Labor Party and must accept responsibility for all that they are.
“Last year on Lateline Tony Windsor said in response to a question on gay marriage that:
I'll be consulting with my constituents as to what they think and I'll be representing their view. I'll do it in the way - the similar way that I mentioned there earlier: I'll survey the electorate to find out what their view is and I'll represent that view back to the Parliament.
“Why do the people of New England get a say about gay marriage but not one about a carbon tax?”
“The more you look the more Mr Windsor’s views seem to change to suit the interests of the Labor party not the interests of his constituency.”