The Gillard Labor Government is taking action to tackle climate change by putting a price on pollution and assisting business and households transition to a clean energy future.
 

The carbon price is not a tax on households — around 500 of the biggest polluters in Australia will be required to pay for their pollution under the carbon pricing mechanism.
 

Every dollar raised will go to support jobs, households and to invest in clean energy and climate change programs.
 

Nine out of 10 households will receive assistance through a combination of tax cuts, higher family payments and increases in pensions and benefits.
 

On average, prices will rise by $9.90 per week for households but Labor has made sure they will get $10.10 per week in assistance.
 

More than 40,900 people in Rockingham, Kwinana and Mandurah will receive household assistance through payments and even more local people will benefit from tax cuts.
 

Further information about the Gillard Labor Government’s plan for a clean energy future is available at www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au
 

1. From 1 January next year, Family Tax Benefit-A rates will be increased by up to $4,200 a year.This helps families meet the increased costs of older children and supports them to stay in school.

2. Giving 6.5 million taxpayers up to $300 more of the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) in their pay packets, rather than at the end of the year.

3. Letting families choose to have child care rebates paid when it suits them, such as fortnightly, cutting down on up-front bills.

4. And we’re extending the Education Tax Refund to cover school uniforms, from 1 July 2011.

5. Delivering an improved pension work bonus so that age pensioners can keep more of their income from work.

6. From 20 September 2011 single people receiving the maximum rate of age, disability and carer pensions, as well as veterans’ income support recipients, will receive an extra $19.50 a fortnight. Pensioner couples combined on the maximum rate will receive an extra $29.60 a fortnight.

7. In addition to the measures in this budget, we’ve delivered income tax cuts since coming to office meaning that:

• A person on $30,000 will have had their annual tax bill cut by $750, or 23%

• A person on $50,000 will have had their annual tax bill cut by $1,750, or 17%

• A person on $80,000 will have had their annual tax bill cut by $1,400 or 7%