Australia’s Lower House of Parliament Passes Carbon Tax Laws

Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Australia’s lower house of parliament today passed Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s plan to curb carbon emissions to reduce the country’s reliance on coal.

Australia plans to make about 500 polluters pay A$23 a ton for their carbon emissions starting next year before switching to a cap-and-trade system three years later. Gillard’s carbon tax is due for a vote in the upper house Senate next month.

To contact the reporter on this story: James Paton in Sydney at jpaton4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Malcolm Scott at mscott23@bloomberg.net