Bris council rate increase not carbon tax's fault: Combet

14/06/2012 - The federal government says there's no justification for blaming its carbon tax for Brisbane City Council rate increases.

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More than 63 local governments and community groups will share community energy efficiency grants worth $42 million.

Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says the program is made possible by the federal government's introduction of a carbon price.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk claims the average rates bill will jump by about 1.9 per cent after the carbon price takes effect on July 1.

He says the cost to the council is $15.8 million.

But Combet says his government is working to take pressure off rates by bringing down the council's power bills.

"It's not good enough for Brisbane City Council to be blaming the introduction of the carbon price for an unjustified increase in rates," he told reporters.

Brisbane City Council will receive $5 million to install 25,000 energy efficient street lights.

The council will also provide $5 million to the project, which is expected to save it $500,000 and 2000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions a year.

Source: AAP

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Have your say...

Grant Walker | 14/06/2012 12:48 1

If large organisations are being critised for not doing thier research on costs affected by carbon tax how the hell is a small business or builder supposed to do cope. We all cant hire consultatnts to do this the costs for these alone may be higher than the carbon tax cost. If services supplied go up, fule, power and materials which are carbon tax driven then what reasons other than price increases related to other sources carbon tax increases would apply.

John Adrian | 14/06/2012 16:40 2

it's a bit rich to say that a 1.9% in your council rates is going to F%$k you up financially, when the GST increased them by 10%. the actual cost of the carbon tax to our company if passed on to our customers would increase the selling cost of the products we make by 0.3% . it is a bit rich when you get a letter from a supplier as we did the other day that their prices will go up from the first of July by 7%, citing the carbon tax as one of the reasons. bulls%*t, it's greed

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