Prime Minister Julia Gillard says it is not her fault that she may break an election promise and introduce a carbon tax while leader of the federal government.
Five days before the August 21 poll, Ms Gillard said there would be no carbon tax under the government she led.
However, she has since vowed to set up a committee made up of MPs from all sides of politics to examine ways of pricing carbon.
Ms Gillard said because Labor now shared the balance of power in the lower house with the Australian Greens and independents, the circumstances around her original promise had changed.
“We can’t just go to the House of Representatives and say, `Here is the government’s position’ and five minutes later it’s passed by the house,” she told Network Ten on Sunday.
Ms Gillard said she would use the committee to work towards a carbon tax with the Greens and independents.
The coalition is welcome to participate in the talks too she added, but committee membership is only extended to those who agree a carbon tax in necessary.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has said he would never put a price on carbon unless it became part of an enforceable international system.
