Antinuclear

Fact checking shows Tony Abbott overstates savings from axing carbon tax

Fact check: Tony Abbott overstating household savings from axing the carbon tax ABC News,  27 Jun 2014   Legislation to repeal the carbon tax is headed for the Senate, where crossbench Senators have indicated they will give the support needed for it to pass. The Government claims households will be significantly better off.

At a press conference on June 23, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: “Every household right around Australia will benefit to the tune of $550 a year. So this is a $550 a year windfall to every household in Australia…”

ABC Fact Check looked at this issue in 2013. Mr Abbott made a similar comment then, but at the same press conference Environment Minister Greg Hunt was more precise about the timing. That fact check found that Mr Abbott was overstating the case, but Mr Hunt reasonably said the legislation would mean “a saving of $550 on average next financial year [2014-15], as opposed to the current situation”.

As Mr Abbott regularly repeats his claim and Senate scrutiny is imminent, ABC Fact Check investigates again………..

The verdict

Based on Treasury modelling, households will be better off by around $550 in 2014-15 if the current legislation is scrapped. However the following year, when the fixed price would move to a floating price, the estimated impact on households drops to $280.

Mr Abbott’s claim is overstated. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-27/tony-abbott-carbon-tax-savings-overstated-fact-check/5554748

June 28, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics