Policy Overview

The Clean Energy Act 2011 was introduced by the Gillard Labor Government in February 2011 and commenced in July 2012. The Act established a fixed carbon price on greenhouse gas emissions in Australia, which became known as the ‘carbon tax’.

InfluenceMap Query

Carbon Tax

Policy Status

Inactive: Repealed

Evidence Profile

518671

Key

opposing not supporting mixed/unclear
supporting strongly supporting

Policy Engagement Overview

  • The evidence collected on corporate and industry lobbying on Australia’s carbon tax, mainly from 2013-14, indicates that the majority of corporate engagement on the policy has been oppositional.
  • A number of companies and industry associations supported the repeal of the carbon tax or opposed its implementation in the first instance including BHP, Rio Tinto, Whitehaven Coal, Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, and Minerals Council of Australia.

Impacts on Policy Ambition

Although the carbon tax achieved a reduction in Australia’s emissions, it faced significant challenges from industry and the Opposition, which claimed that it led to increased energy prices for both households and industry. Supporters of the tax argue that it increased GDP and employment in Australia, and had protections in place to support emissions-intensive industries. Tony Abbott’s “axe the tax” pledge formed one of the cornerstones of his successful election campaign in 2013. The Clean Energy Act 2011 was repealed by the Abbott Government in July 2014.

InfluenceMap Query

Carbon Tax

Policy Status

Inactive: Repealed

Evidence Profile

518671

Key

opposing not supporting mixed/unclear
supporting strongly supporting

Entities Engaged on Policy

The table below lists the entities tracked by InfluenceMap which have publicly engaged with the policy. InfluenceMap tracks around 300 companies and 150 industry associations globally. Each entity links back to the entities’ full InfluenceMap profile, where the evidence of its engagement can be found.

Influencemap Performance BandOrganizationEngagement Intensity
C+AGL Australia39UtilitiesOceania
DAlcoa14Metals & MiningNorth America
C-Ampol Limited (formerly Caltex Australia)10EnergyOceania
D+Anglo American23Metals & MiningEurope
BApple30Information TechnologyNorth America
CAustralia and New Zealand Banking Group11FinancialsOceania
D-Banpu10EnergyOceania
D+BHP38Metals & MiningOceania
C-Bluescope Steel35Metals & MiningOceania
D+Boral Limited8Metals & MiningOceania
CBP61EnergyEurope
D-Chevron49EnergyNorth America
C-CLP Holdings (EnergyAustralia)19UtilitiesAsia
D+Coles Group3Consumer StaplesOceania
C+Commonwealth Bank of Australia7FinancialsOceania
D-ConocoPhillips38EnergyNorth America
DExxonMobil52EnergyNorth America
C-Fortescue Metals Group29Metals & MiningOceania
D-Glencore International31Metals & MiningEurope
CInsurance Australia Group7FinancialsOceania
C-Lendlease5Construction MaterialsOceania
CMacquarie Group20FinancialsOceania
D+Mitsubishi Corporation22IndustrialsAsia
B-National Australia Bank12FinancialsOceania
D+Orica17IndustrialsOceania
C-Origin Energy44EnergyOceania
FPeabody19Metals & MiningNorth America
C-Qantas Airways13TransportationOceania
D+Rio Tinto Group39Metals & MiningEurope
CShell64EnergyEurope
DSantos23EnergyOceania
N/ASingapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel)3TelecommunicationsAsia
D+South3215Metals & MiningOceania
CSuncorp8FinancialsOceania
FSunset Power International (Delta Electricity)15UtilitiesOceania
CTelstra9TelecommunicationsOceania
D+Virgin Australia7TransportationOceania
DViva Energy12EnergyOceania
C-Wesfarmers14RetailingOceania
C+Westpac Banking Corporation15FinancialsOceania
E-Whitehaven Coal21Metals & MiningOceania
D-Woodside40EnergyOceania
CWoolworths Ltd10Consumer StaplesOceania
E+Yancoal14Metals & MiningOceania
DToyota Motor39AutomobilesAsia
N/AAMP5FinancialsOceania
CHolcim48Construction MaterialsEurope
N/AMetcash2Consumer StaplesOceania
DBeach Energy10EnergyNorth America
D-Newcrest Mining6MaterialsOceania
D+InterGen6EnergyEurope
C-Snowy Hydro12EnergyOceania
DTamboran Resources13EnergyOceania
D+Senex Energy11EnergyOceania
CAustralian Industry Group (Ai Group)56All SectorsOceania
C-Business Council of Australia53All SectorsOceania
E+Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry20All SectorsOceania
D+Australian Industry Greenhouse Network25EnergyOceania
DEnergy Users Association of Australia25EnergyOceania
A-Energy Efficiency Council27EnergyOceania
CAustralian Energy Council43EnergyOceania
A-Clean Energy Council39EnergyOceania
D-Minerals Council of Australia (MCA)49Metals & MiningOceania
ENSW Minerals Council32Metals & MiningOceania
EQueensland Resources Council (QRC)22Metals & MiningOceania
D-Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME)27Metals & MiningOceania
E+Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA)43EnergyOceania
DAustralian Pipelines and Gas Association18EnergyOceania
BCarbon Market Institute45All SectorsOceania
C-Gas Energy Australia19EnergyOceania
CEnergy Networks Australia16EnergyOceania
DSouth Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy20Metals & MiningOceania
E+Association of Mining and Exploration Companies24Metals & MiningOceania
E+Australian Institute of Petroleum10EnergyOceania
N/AAustralian Steel Institute4All SectorsOceania
D+Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI)24AutomobilesOceania
BElectric Vehicle Council25AutomobilesOceania