Fed Clean Energy Act (Carbon Tax) (2011)

Policy Engagement Overview

• The evidence collected on corporate and industry lobbying on Australia’s carbon tax, mainly from 2013-14, indicates that the majority of corporate engagement on the policy has been oppositional.
• A number of companies and industry associations supported the repeal of the carbon tax or opposed its implementation in the first instance including BHP, Rio Tinto, Whitehaven Coal, Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, and Minerals Council of Australia.

Impacts on Policy Ambition

Although the carbon tax achieved a reduction in Australia’s emissions, it faced significant challenges from industry and the Opposition, which claimed that it led to increased energy prices for both households and industry. Supporters of the tax argue that it increased GDP and employment in Australia, and had protections in place to support emissions-intensive industries. Tony Abbott’s “axe the tax” pledge formed one of the cornerstones of his successful election campaign in 2013. The Clean Energy Act 2011 was repealed by the Abbott Government in July 2014.