GASH CLASH WITH GREENS AT CARBON TAX INQUIRY

Gilmore MP, Joanna Gash has questioned the basis of alleged facts made in a submission by the Australian Conservation Foundation during a hearing by the Joint Select Committee inquiring into the Governments Carbon tax legislation.

Mrs Gash is a Coalition member of the Parliamentary panel appointed to examine submissions on the carbon tax which met in Canberra today.

Mrs Gash has accused the ACF of not being able to substantiate their own figures that they were relying upon to support their case.

“What the ACF claimed was that this legislation would result in the creation of 3 million jobs by 2020, but when I asked them where they got this figure from, they couldn’t provide specific detail.

“I also queried a claim they made in 2009 that was contained in their submission that the global energy investment boom would be worth $243 billion in 2010.

“They quoted some survey from 2009 but could not tell me who they spoke to nor where the respondents came from on either question.

 “It is concerning enough that the ACF is quite content with plucking figures out of the air without feeling the need to justify their claims.

“But when they quote these unsubstantiated figures publicly then as far as I am concerned they are exposing themselves to charges of trying to mislead the public.

Mrs Gash said she also challenged Labor’s Anna Burke, who as Chair, allowed discussion over Coalition’s policy to be canvassed which Mrs Gash claimed was not in keeping with the terms of reference.

“This just confirms my earlier suspicions that this inquiry is no more than a ‘show trial’, designed simply to fend off criticisms of this tax which I think are totally justified, Mrs Gash said.

Media enquiries:                                                26 September 2011