Election 2016: Labor’s legacy asylum seekers languish in PNG, Shorten revamps carbon tax
THE twin ghosts of the Rudd-Gillard era are back to haunt us, with hundreds of asylum seekers languishing in PNG and Bill Shorten’s revamped carbon tax.
NSW
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THE twin ghosts of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era have returned to haunt Australia, with hundreds of Labor’s legacy asylum seekers languishing in Papua New Guinea and the nation facing a revamped carbon tax under a Shorten government.
The Turnbull cabinet was meeting last night to determine what to do with illegal boat arrivals in PNG after the fledgling nation’s government decided to close down the Manus Island detention centre set up by Kevin Rudd.
It can be revealed a significant portion of the 850 men on Manus Island are part of the 50,000 people who arrived illegally by boat after Mr Rudd tore down the successful Howard-era immigration policies.
The legacy of Labor’s immigration shift emerged as wannabe prime minister Bill Shorten confirmed if elected his government would a implement an emissions trading scheme on electricity — a move likely to lump consumers with soaring power prices.
The “electricity tax” would be implemented from 2018 in a bid to force power companies to ensure 50 per cent of the nation’s electricity is sourced from renewable energy by 2030.
In a sobering warning for households, Opposition climate spokesman Mark Butler was asked to rule out prices rising seven times during a radio interview and refused to give a straight answer.
Senior Labor figures believe the electricity ETS will raise prices by around $10 for every $1000 spent by consumers, but the government claim wholesale prices could rise by up to 78 per cent.
The Turnbull government vowed to stick to its policies on climate and immigration, confirming on the latter that it would not allow any illegal boat arrivals to settle in Australia.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said tragedies in Paris and Brussels resulting from Europe’s open border policy would ensure the Turnbull government blocked any return to Australia.
The Turnbull government was looking at a third country option to take the refugees on Manus Island and Nauru. Negotiations are continuing with Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia to take the asylum seekers.
Treasurer Scott Morrison said the “electricity tax” was a repeat of the carbon tax.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten backed the policy insisting it was not a carbon tax.
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