In last week’s Budget, the Federal Government attempted to steer attention away from a carbon tax, but today it was back on the agenda.

The opposition leader Tony Abbott pointed to new figures suggesting it’s Queensland jobs and businesses that’ll bear the brunt economically.

By Alexandra Atanasov.

TRANSCRIPT

Tony Abbott says the introduction of a carbon tax could cost twenty-three thousand jobs in mining and 11,000 are likely to be from Queensland.

He called on Premier Anna Bligh to stand up to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and protect Queenslanders and the State’s economy.

Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader: “I call on her to stop making excuses for bad government in Canberra and to stand up for the people of Queensland and say no to this carbon tax.”

He said towns throughout the Coal Belt of Queensland could be wiped off the map economically and become ghost towns but metropolitan businesses will be hit too. Businesses like Narangba Leather Factory, Packer Leather, that he visited today.

Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader: “This is typical of the tens of thousands of businesses, the hundreds of thousands of jobs right around our country that’d be at risk if carbon tax goes ahead.”

The factory employs 120 staff and with a carbon tax faces a 25 per cent increase to its electricity bill, which is already above 600,000 dollars a year.

Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader: “This is just another hit they that don’t need.”

The comments came on a day where two independent polls show the Liberal Party has an election winning lead over Labor.

While the opposition leader avoided excessive comment on the polls he says they’re a reflection of a government at war with itself.

Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader: “This is a government which plainly isn’t listening.”

Alexandra Atanasov, QUT News.