The whole premise of this 10% fund is that there are some businesses that are going to end up paying more in taxes that they can't pass on to their customers, yet you can't confirm that small business owners will be reimbursed for costs that they can't pass on.
I have a couple of foundation layers who came to see me in my office two weeks ago. They say the extra fuel that is going to be associated with turning the cement into concrete, pouring the foundations and moving their workers, their trucks and other assets to workplaces can not all be passed on to their customers. These two small businessmen, who employ I suspect about a dozen people, are going to have to eat those expenses.
The government claims that they shouldn't be worried because 10% of the revenue from the carbon tax will go into this special fund that will help people just like them. I've asked you, “Can you guarantee that they will get back in rebates or some other compensation as much as they pay in taxes?” So far, I haven't had anyone on this dais tell me that the answer is yes.
Can anyone tell me that my two small businessmen from my community will be fully compensated for the tax they will pay as a result of this new carbon levy?