Australia’s rich talk about saving the environment; the poor bear the burden of doing it

Authors

Lesley Head, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

92115

Publication Details

Head, L. (2012). Australia’s rich talk about saving the environment; the poor bear the burden of doing it. The Conversation Media Group, 26 June 1-2.

Link to publisher version (URL)

http://theconversation.com

Abstract

Public housing tenants struggling with their bills will well understand NSW Community Services Minister Goward’s concern over the rising costs of nails and pots of paint. According to the minister, the carbon tax will push the price of household maintenance up; this is the reasoning behind an increase in public housing rents. But what’s fair about the state government passing its own carbon tax costs on to those least able to afford it?