Australia’s opposition Labor Party has accused the conservative Liberal-National government of bullying new senators in its rush to repeal the country’s carbon price laws, which the coalition wants scrapped by the Senate this week.
However, the move has been welcomes by Palmer United Party leader and mining magnate Clive Palmer, who said Australia had debated the impost for five years.
The upper house Senate had issued a July 14 deadline for a crucial report into the government’s carbon repeal legislation, which needs to be tabled before debate can begin.
AAP Newsagency reports the Liberal-National government has now decided to ignore the former Senate’s timetable, and today began moving its carbon repeal legislation with the help of minor party senators.
Labor’s Senate leader Senator Penny Wong said the government was bullying the new crossbench senators, who were sworn in earlier today.
“What the government is doing is asking the Senate and the new senators on the crossbench to suspend standing orders and bring on a vote on legislation which is due to be debated on July 14th,” she told ABC Radio News this morning.
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AP reports the manager of government business in the upper house, Senator Mitch Fifield, said Australians had voted to scrap the carbon price at last year’s federal election.
“This week we would like to see the Australian Senate give effect to what the Australian people have already indicated they want,” he told ABC Radio News.
Twelve new senators were sworn in today, including three from the Palmer United Party (PUP), the Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party’s Ricky Muir, Family First’s Bob Day and Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm.
PUP leader and lower house MP Clive Palmer supported a vote to scrap the carbon price last week.
“I think it’s a good idea because Australians have debated the carbon tax now for five years,” he told ABC Radio News.
The renewed push to scrap the impost came as 59 economists wrote an open letter calling for a price and restrictions on carbon.
Putting a price and limit on carbon pollution is the most economically efficient way to reduce emissions, they said.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott earlier said he expected the new Senate vote on the carbon tax this week despite Australian Greens Party and Labor attempts to delay the legislation.
“You have already voted to scrap the carbon tax,” Mr Abbott told voters in a statement on Sunday.
“Now it’s up to the Senate to do the same.”
