Dr NELSON (2:52 PM) —My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to reports that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts has confirmed that the government is considering a new tax on plastic shopping bags. I also refer the Prime Minister to the new increased road user charge for trucks agreed between state and federal Labor governments. Does the Prime Minister really understand the impact on grocery prices for all Australian families of new Labor taxes on plastic shopping bags and road transport?

Mr RUDD (Prime Minister) —I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The Environment Protection and Heritage Council, including all state and territory governments, previously committed to the phase-out of free single-use plastic shopping bags by 1 January 2009. This commitment was made by the previous Howard government, and that position has been supported by this government. Voluntary measures have been trialled but have not been as successful as governments of both persuasions had hoped. This government is still working with states and territories to analyse options for phasing out plastic bags. The Environment Protection and Heritage Council expects to discuss this issue at its upcoming meeting on 17 April 2008. The government has not decided on its preferred option, but let me tell you this: we will not be imposing a Commonwealth levy on plastic bags. Action on plastic bags should not be used as a government revenue raiser. On the broader question of the impact on working families’ budgets, the best thing that we can all do to improve the lot of working families is to get rid of Work Choices. The best thing we can do to help working families is to make sure that their penalty rates cannot be ripped off them, that their overtime rates cannot be ripped off them and that their basic, most elementary payments cannot be ripped off them. That is a set of laws that you imposed on working families, and you still stand by them.