Carbon Tax adds $1.5m to expenses (Budget 2012-13)

Introduction of the Carbon Tax has accounted for an additional 0.7 per cent budgeted expenditure in 2012-13.

Council has estimated that the new tax will increase costs in the order of $1.5 million, which has been factored into the budget.

“This is a new expense that Council has had to address in the preparation of this budget,” Mayor Bob Manning said.

"It is directly accountable for a 0.7 per cent increase in rates.

“Thanks to programs that are already in place within Council, we do not trigger the emissions threshold that would require us to pay the tax directly.

“However, we will be impacted through increased costs for electricity and fuel and other flow-on increases in the cost of materials and labour.

“To help combat these increases, Council is putting in place programs to further cut energy consumption and to monitor emissions originating from Council facilities.”