Interim Report - The Carbon Tax: Economic pain for no environmental gain

7 October 2011

© Commonwealth of Australia 2011
ISBN 978-1-74229-528-2

View the report as a single document - (PDF 5693KB)

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View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Membership of the committee	(PDF 13KB)
Executive Summary	(PDF 49KB)
The government's lack of mandate for a carbon tax Shifting emissions overseas The inefficiency of the government's carbon tax The carbon tax has the potential to undermine wider reforms The overall impact on the economy – $40,000 from every Australian The need for a credible international agreement Flaws in the government's approach The cost of acting now Uncertainty in the global economy Treasury modelling Recommendations
Chapter 1 - Inquiry into a carbon tax	(PDF 21KB)
Terms of reference Conduct of the inquiry to date Structure of the report
Chapter 2 - The Australian responses to climate change	(PDF 1275KB)
Introduction Australia's emissions in context Australia and international agreements on climate change policy No harmonised global climate change mitigation action scheme Pessimism over future prospects for a binding international agreement The evolution of Australia's recent climate change policy The architecture of the carbon tax The carbon tax legislation Fallout from the carbon tax policy development process A need for Australians to have their say Committee comment
Chapter 3 -  The carbon tax the Prime Minister promised we wouldn’t have	(PDF 522KB)
Introduction The carbon tax is announced Features of the carbon tax Committee Comment Revenue and outlays under the carbon tax Committee comment
Chapter 4 - Australia's future prosperity exposed	(PDF 295KB)
Introduction Carbon leakage Specific industries The need for a global agreement – the need for a level playing filed Committee comment
Chapter 5 - The energy sector under the carbon tax	(PDF 208KB)
Introduction The energy sector in Australia Carbon pollution and the energy sector Government assistance package Regional employment and small business Committee comment
Chapter 6 - Regional Australia	(PDF 138KB)
Introduction Background Previous government regional modelling exercises Committee comment Third-party modelling of the impact of the carbon tax on regional areas Evidence from local regional communities Regional New South Wales Regional Queensland Regional Victoria
Chapter 7 - Picking up the cost – the carbon tax on households	(PDF 250KB)
The impact of a carbon price on households Committee comment Australian Households under a carbon tax Reaction to the compensation package Committee comment
Chapter 8 - The carbon tax and the economy	(PDF 192KB)
Introduction The government's climate change plan and the Commonwealth Budget Additional government measures not included in the climate change plan budget Combined outlays and revenues under the carbon tax Clean Energy Finance Corporation Contracts for closure program and the use of contingency reserve Effect of the carbon tax plan on the return of the Commonwealth Budget to surplus Effect of the carbon tax plan on state government budgets Council of Australian Governments Delay in the implementation of the carbon tax The economic impact of higher electricity prices Is the impact of the carbon tax modest? The potential for a carbon tax to undermine wider reforms The overall impact on the economy Committee comment
Chapter 9 - The transport industry and the carbon tax	(PDF 64KB)
Introduction The road transport industry Committee comment The air transport industry Committee comment
Chapter 10 - The carbon tax modelling: deficiencies	(PDF 132KB)
Introduction The carbon tax modelling Process issues and the development of the carbon tax Concerns about the Treasury modelling Committee comment
Government Senators' Dissenting Report -	(PDF 260KB)
Introduction Summary of findings:
Additional Comments by Senator Nick Xenophon	(PDF 12KB)
APPENDIX 1 - Submissions and Additional Information received by the Committee	(PDF 23KB)
Submissions Additional Information and Tabled Documents Answers to Questions on Notice
APPENDIX 2 - Public Hearings and Witnesses	(PDF 17KB)
Public Hearings and Witnesses
APPENDIX 3 - Terms of reference: Multi-Party Climate Change Committee	(PDF 15KB)

For further information, contact:

Committee Secretary
Select Committee on the Scrutiny of New Taxes
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

Phone:	+61 2 6277 3555
Fax:	+61 2 6277 3899
Email:	seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au