The Wire

A Carbon tax could be made more palatable if it was thought of as a consumption tax. That according to a former chief executive of BHP Billiton, Paul Anderson. Mr Anderson, who now heads US electric and gas utility Duke Energy, says Australia should consider replacing the GST with a carbon tax. Under the international Kyoto convention implemented in February, signing countries are expected to introduce a carbon tax on fossil fuels to control carbon emission. Australia and the US have not signed the agreement. Mr Anderson surprised many by suggesting that consumers pay a fee when buying appliances that produced carbon. His comments have been welcomed by Greens Senator Bob Brown and the Australian Conservation foundation. The ACF’s Urwin Jackson is speaking here with Erica Vowles

Australian Conservation Foundation