Households will face a $16.60 rise in the cost of living under a $30 carbon tax, new Treasury modelling shows.
That equates to an extra $863.20 a year for petrol, electricity, gas and food.
The new modelling, released this afternoon under the Freedom of Information act, does not include extensive compensation for households or industry promised by the government to compensate for the price impacts of a carbon tax.
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The modelling suggests under a $30 carbon price the cost of electricity will rise $4.20 a week, $2.20 a week for gas, $1.70 for food, and $3.60 for petrol.
If the price increase of petrol is countered by a cent-for-cent reduction in the fuel exercise — as proposed under the Government’s now ditched emissions trading scheme — the overall weekly costs for households is $11.70.
The modelling, outlined in a briefing note to Treasurer Wayne Swan on February 1 this year, is described as ‘‘preliminary.’’
Treasury is now undertaking a more detailed analysis of the impacts of a carbon price.
The government is negotiating a deal with the Greens and Independent MPs through a multi-party committee. It is yet to determine a starting price for per tonne of carbon or the size of compensation packages for households and industry.
Treasury only modelled a $30 carbon price, but also made estimates for other starting prices.
Including petrol, a $40 carbon price would add $22.10 to household costs every week, a $20 price would add $11.10, and a $10 price would add $5.50.
The Government’s chief climate change adviser, Professor Ross Garnaut has recommended a starting carbon price of between $20 and $30 a year.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Treasury documents released today under the  (FOI) act reveal that Australians could face up to an 863 rise  in household costs per annum if the  proceeds with its plans to .

The documents reveal an a annual price rise of $218.40 for electricity, $114.40 for gas, $187.20 for petrol and $88.40 for food for the average household. The treasury modelling was based on a $30 carbon tax, but also estimated other prices such as a $40 tax which predicted a rise of over $1,100 to the average household's annual budget. However, they do not take into account the compensation deals and offsets promised by the government if a price is put on carbon. 

After viewing the treasury modelling, Treasurer Wayne Swan and Climate Change Minister  released a joint statement saying without the finalization of compensation packages it is too early to predict price rises. "No final decisions on the starting price or assistance have been taken and therefore it is far too early to speculate on any potential price impacts," the statement said. Until the final design and modelling have been settled, anyone who uses these figures to scare families about prices is engaging in a dishonest, misleading scare campaign."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the figures demonstrated the toll a carbon tax would have on Australian families. This just demonstrates that the Government has known all along that its carbon tax won't clean up the environment but it will clean out your wallet," he said. That's right and this is $863 a year in extra burden that the Australian people shouldn't have to pay. This is an $863 a year hit on families' cost of living. Families are doing it tough as things stand. They don't need a bad situation made much, much worse by Julia Gillard's carbon tax."

The  (ACCI) has also officially opposed the adoption of a carbon tax. A resolution was passed by all 30 members at their general meeting to reject the Federal government's plan.    


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