The carbon tax has claimed its first victim, with Norsk Hydro announcing it intends to close its Hunter aluminium smelter.
The move will put 350 people out of work, affect countless contractors, and have a devastating effect on communities around the plant.
The news sparked a furore in federal parliament, with the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader trading barbs, and a Hunter MP ejected.
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The story of the closure of Norse Hydro was dramatic enough. It did not need to be introduced by the exaggerated claim of it beginning a victim of the carbon. There were other larger factors involved and this was unjustified.
I would imagine it was introduced that way because one of the reasons given by management for the final decision was the cost when factoring in the carbon tax.
If the climate change officio keep sticking their head in the sand about what effect this new tax is going to have on employment then let us ask them to put their hands in their pocket and support those poor blighters who have just been given the bad news. High dollar, unstable world economic climate, high wages, high employments costs (holiday pay loading increase in employee super contributions, sick pay, parental leave and on and on) now add to that a carbon tax no wonder the place is closing. Of course their are other factors but Ms Gillard wants the people of NSW now to give this company a further donation from their pockets of cheaper power. When are these people going to get out of La La Land.