Climate change groups have dismissed the anti-carbon tax ad blitz launched on Sunday, and its ‘shaky numbers’.
Industry groups came together as the Australian Trade Industry Alliance (ATIA) to create an ad campaign to derail the Government’s carbon pricing scheme, NineMSN reports.
In the ads, ATIA says in only $4.9 billion was generated in Europe over the first six and half year by a carbon tax, as compared to a potential $71 billion over the period in Australia.
The Climate Institute have hit out at the advertisement, saying neither the alliance nor its figures, should be believed.
Not only was the $71 billion amount $10 billion off, but the campaign failed to mention that over six years Europe will generate $143 billion, the group said.
“This new industry alliance is just another shady front group with more shaky numbers as they argue for more delay, exemptions or special treatments," the institute’s John Connor stated.
"Australia will have higher initial rates of auctioning than (Europe), but that is a strength of the Australian system which has learnt much from Europe’s early mistakes," he said.
The group is composed of organisations such as the Minerals Council of Australia, the Australian Chamber of Commerce, the Australian Coal Association, and the Plastics and Chemical Industries Association.
It is aiming to mirror the mining tax efforts, where an aggressive advertising campaign defeated its motion by public opposition to the carbon tax so that it is either substantially modified or fails to pass the parliament” a statement from the group says.
Its campaign has been branded a scare tactic by the Climate Institute.