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Thursday, 13 October 2011
Page: 7382

Senator EGGLESTON (Western Australia) (15:43): Senator Polley began by saying that people on this side of the chamber are just sceptics. Having listened very carefully to what she said, I can only wonder at the lack of information and understanding on display by those on the other side of the chamber about the impact the carbon tax will have on the Australian economy, about the cost of living for average Australians and about the impact on jobs for those people who might otherwise vote for Senator Polley. Senator Polley demonstrated no awareness of any of those impacts. Given the fact that this matter has been debated not only over the last year or so but also in several Senate committees prior to the last election, I think it is a very sad reflection if Senator Polley is typical of the level of understanding among ALP members and senators of the impact that the carbon tax will have. This taking note of answers is very largely about the impact on the defence forces. Of course, the defence forces are part of the Australian economy and they have a lot of suppliers who are not military people but, nevertheless, are suppliers to the military and so should be considered part of the military establishment. Just like any other members of the community, the people who are suppliers to our military forces will be very adversely affected by a carbon tax if it is brought in. There is no doubt whatsoever that the cost of fuel will rise, and that will mean the cost of consumer goods will rise. Other goods delivered to any military establishment in Australia will reflect that increased cost of transport. The cost of electricity will rise and that will mean that the cost of producing goods, making things and packaging food, for example, will rise. In a general way, the military will bear at least some, if not a lot, of the increased costs impacted on the community by the carbon tax.

There are other ways also that the defence forces will be affected. I spend a lot of time in the north-west of Western Australia where they are very concerned about things like border security. Now there is going to be an increase in the cost of fuel, and I presume that will have an adverse impact on the capacity of the Navy to mount coastal surveillance patrols by ship and of the Air Force to run the coastal surveillance flights that it operates around the northern coast every day of the week. It is not only close coastal surveillance that is involved when our armed forces are seeking to stop people who are smuggling drugs and to detect illegal immigrants; the RAAF also carries out surveillance around the Australian coastline and a long way out to sea every day of the week. The cost of those very long flights will go up. As the cost of those things goes up, it is possible that there will be some restriction of them, and that, undoubtedly, will affect the border security of Australia. The security of our borders is something that the ALP claims is a matter of great importance to it. I am just surprised that the ALP is taking such a light-hearted approach to this matter.

With Australia's security, we also have to look in a broad and general way to the strength of our economy. If our economy is weakened so our military capacity will be weakened. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the imposition of a carbon tax, followed in a nightmare fashion in 2015, we are told, by an emissions trading scheme, is going to substantially adversely affect the Australian economy. It is going to cost a lot of jobs, it is going to reduce our international competitiveness and, overall, it is going to mean that this country has less capacity to spend on the defence of our borders. (Time expired)