Australia’s top 50 carbon-polluting companies could have an initial carbon tax liability of up to $7.3 billion, new figures show.
The latest National Greenhouse and Energy Report, produced by the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, details the emissions of the nation’s 430 biggest carbon dioxide emitters.
The companies will have to pay the full price of the $23 a tonne carbon tax which comes into effect on July 1, minus any assistance provided by the government.
Their final liabilities will also depend on other factors such as corporate structure.
The carbon tax bill for the top 50 of these companies would be up to $7.3 billion, based on the figures in the latest report.
The top 10 companies in the list alone will be liable for $3.9 billion, minus assistance and other changes to their reported emissions.
Among the biggest emitters on the register for 2010/11 are Macquarie Generation, Delta Electricity, Great Energy Alliance Corporation, International Power and TRUEnergy Holdings.
However the government has offered a range of assistance programs to the heaviest-hit industries, including cement works, petroleum refiners and steel and aluminium makers.
Climate Change Minister Greg Combet told parliament on Tuesday that for many of these businesses the effective carbon price, after free emissions permits were provided, would be reduced from $23 a tonne to $1.30 a tonne.
Mr Combet was announcing the start of regulations to establish the Jobs and Competitiveness Program under the government’s clean energy laws.
The program would provide significant assistance to help emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries manage the impact of the carbon price, while maintaining incentives for them to reduce their carbon pollution.
“Supporting energy efficiency and productivity in our emissions-intensive manufacturing industries is important to remaining globally competitive into the future,” Mr Combet said.
The final list of companies to pay the full carbon price, and their liabilities, will be produced after the Clean Energy Regulator takes over the management of the emissions register and carbon pricing mechanism on April 2.
The department’s greenhouse and energy data officer Ross Carter said it was not possible to calculate the exact carbon tax liabilities from the current data, as companies needed to use their own data.
But Mr Carter said it was important the companies understood their emission reporting and carbon pricing obligations.
