Local Federal MP for Dunkley, Bruce Billson, said today was a historic day for the Abbott Government with the Carbon Tax Repeal Bill passing the Senate.

Today’s vote by the Senate to repeal the Carbon Tax is great news for local families and small businesses.

Scrapping the Carbon Tax will save the average household around $550 a year, including around $200 on the average household electricity bill and around $70 on the average gas bill. This will reduce cost of living pressures for all Australians.

The Government’s consumer watchdog, the ACCC, has been given extra funding and powers to ensure that savings are passed on to consumers.

Scrapping the Carbon Tax will also take a cost burden off local businesses. This will make it easier for them to compete and employ more people.

I’ve listened to many local residents concerned about how this unfair tax has imposed a real burden on their small businesses and their family.

The Carbon Tax is a multi-billion dollar hit on the economy. It hurts small businesses, costs jobs and harms household budgets.

Scrapping this tax has been a grassroots effort – led by the Prime Minister, but helped by the voices of everyday Australians. It may have taken time and there were obstacles along the way, but we’ve done this together.

Scrapping the Carbon Tax is just one part of our plan to build a stronger economy and create more jobs. It is also important we get the Budget under control, continue to reduce paperwork and build the infrastructure we need.

There’s much more to do, but removing the world’s biggest Carbon Tax from the backs of everyday small businesses and families is an important step in building a stronger economy.

The ACCC is our ‘tough carbon cop on the beat’ with the power and resources to ensure that carbon tax repeal cost savings are passed through to consumers, households and local businesses.

If a consumer or a business is concerned that cost savings are not being passed on they should contact the supplier to obtain information on the effect of the carbon tax repeal on the supplier’s prices or call the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502.