SENATOR Gary Humphries claims Chief Minister Katy Gallagher let the cat out of the bag when she said on radio this morning that the amount of Canberrans compensated, thanks to the carbon tax, was “slightly lower than the figures nationally.”

On 666 ABC this morning, Gallagher said: “Well the work we’ve done over the last 24 hours is that about 78 per cent of Canberra households will receive compensation, about 40 per cent of Canberra households will be fully compensated, and that is slightly lower than the figures nationally.”

Senator Humphries said that means on ACT Government figures, three in five Canberra households will be out of pocket, and one in five Canberra households will receive no compensation whatsoever for the carbon tax.

“That’s not ‘slightly lower’ than the figures nationally,” he said. “The Gillard Government boasts that only one in 10 households will receive no compensation and one in four households will be worse off.  Katy Gallagher’s admission today means that those figures are as good as junk when it comes to the ACT.

“With the highest average incomes in the country and a higher cost of living than elsewhere in Australia, Canberra’s households will be the least compensated in the country.

“By ACT Labor’s own admission, Canberra has been taken for granted by the Gillard Government.

“According to the Australian Energy Market Commission the ACT’s electricity prices are expected to rise by over 20 per cent over the next three years.  On top of this, Canberrans should expect a 10 per cent hike in electricity bills in the first year alone of the carbon tax.

“At the next election, the Coalition will deliver real tax cuts to Canberrans without a carbon tax.”