The Greens have officially signalled that Christine Milne’s push for Julia Gillard to impose a carbon tax “plus,plus,plus” is on – with the Greens’ council at the weekend calling for a phase-out of fossil fuel tax credits, and the institution of a gross-feed in tariff for renewable energy.

Senator Boswell said Ms Milne had recently told a commentator that she believed the carbon tax had to be backed by a “plus, plus, plus” series of complementary measures.

The push, now endorsed by the Greens council, if successful, would be a nightmare outcome for agriculture, other primary industries, and mining, where fuel rebates are crucial.

“The so-called Multi-party Climate Change Committee, which is actually a Bi-party committee, has already called for transport to be included in the carbon tax,” Senator Boswell said. “That puts petrol and diesel right in the Greens sights and if that impost - of 6.5 cents per litre for petrol – more for diesel -  based on a $26 carbon price - was accompanied by an end to the excise rebate for farmers, miners, fishermen, and indeed most businesses, the impact would be diabolical,” Senator Boswell said.

“It all just goes to show the Greens are living in cloud cuckoo-land.”

The Greens push for a gross feed-in tariff, also strongly favoured by Lyne Independent, Rob Oakeshott, would also be massively expensive, as NSW Premier Kristina Keneally’s recent decision to gut the tariff in her state - to reduce a $4.4 billion cost to taxpayers - attests.

News of the Greens push emerged on the same day as States began putting pressure on the Gillard government to scale back subsidies for solar roof-top power and hot water systems because they were pushing up power prices.

“This is the pot calling the kettle black since states voluntarily engaged in feed-in tariff arrangements to try and curry favour with those gullible enough to believe that roof-top solar power systems can actually deliver an emissions benefit,” Senator Boswell said.

“They could end their useless tariffs tomorrow if they chose, rather than relying on the federal government to get them off the hook for decisions they have taken on their own.”

      • Mr Oakeshott introduced into the House of  Reps a facsimile of a Bill Ms Milne had introduced into the Senate calling for a gross feed-in tariff to be applied to all forms of renewable energy.

ENDS