http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/in-depth/prime-minister-julia-gillard-defends...PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has taken her carbon tax sales tour to Adelaide as she defends the $12 million taxpayer funded TV campaign.
Ms Gillard met with pensioners and self-funded retirees at the Findon Community Centre this afternoon to spruik the government's household assistance package for senior Australians.
Flanked by Minister for Ageing Mark Butler, Ms Gillard said pensions would increase by $338 per year for singles and $510 per year for couples once a carbon price was brought in.
That meant after the impact of a carbon price was taken into account pensioner households would, on average, be $210 a year better off.
"We have taken particular care to look after older Australians," she said.
Ms Gillard was forced to defend her $12 million taxpayer funded carbon price television ads against comparisons to John Howard's controversial campaigns to promote WorkChoices and the GST.
The advertisements, to screen from tonight, will cost $12 million but the total bill for the federal government to explain its climate-change policy will cost more than $25 million.
In opposition the Labor Party was critical of taxpayer dollars being channelled into advertising campaigns to promote controversial policies and reform.
"We have ended the abuse of tax-payer funded advertising," Ms Gillard told reporters.
"We have guidelines and an independent committee, a code which we work through when we are going to advertise to make sure it is a proper advertisement to get information through to people."
Ms Gillard said the advertisements were aimed at giving Australians information about the carbon tax.
"Wherever I have gone this week people have been hungry for information, so we will be advertising and providing information so that people can understand what putting a price on carbon means for them and their families."
Members of the community asked Ms Gillard questions about global warming, research about alzheimer's disease, solar power, rising electricity bills and the financial impacts of a carbon tax.
Seaton man Luke Belperia demanded to know why Australian coal continued to be exported at the same time as moves were being made to reduce its use on Australian soil.
"I'd like to know why you intend to deny Australians cheap electricity by the use of Australian coal, yet you actively promote the export of Australian coal so foreigners can benefit from cheap electricity," he said.
Mr Belperia said he would not see any carbon tax compensation because he was unemployed and living off savings, so didn't pay tax.
He said it was unfair he would have to cope with rising electricity prices because of a carbon tax.
Ms Gillard said the government was not denying Australians cheap electricity.
"A lot of electricity will still be made from coal, there's no doubt about that.
"But we do at the same time want to bring onto stream renewable and cleaner energy sources."
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