Peoples Opinions on Carbon Tax?

...what?

I don't really care either way, as I do question what it will do in reducing emissions. If it happens I'm ok with it and if it doesn't I'm ok with it.

But if you are strongly opposed to it, then you should probably have an opinion on what should be done. Unless you don't think humans are contributing to global warming.

This afternoon at uni, Greens senator Richrd Di Natale came and spoke to us about 'what the carbon price package means for Australia'. To me it sounds like the most practical move our government could muster being the conservative mudsticks that they are.

I actually asked him how long does he think it will be before the agricultural industry actually faces some responsibility for their pollution (and consequently, the price of meat goes up) and he said it's unlikely to happen any time soon due to our cultural ways but it has come up before in discussing the emissions trading scheme.

Carbon is not pollution. Life is made of carbon.
Excessive carbon causes the globe to warm. (what is excessive is up for debate)
The Carbon Tax will not reduce Carbon in the atmosphere and will have no effect unless other countries join in.
The Carbon Tax doesnt guarantee that people will use less carbon. Electricity prices are increasingly going up yet people are buying increasingly big TV's. I believe people will just cut down on other things like healthy foods and dental work.

I think the supporters care little about the real logistics and outcomes and are more interested in token gestures and feeling good than real conservation.

isn't it carbon di oxide...

if carbon was the cause... then spank a monkey

A very brave utterance, none the less very true.

I'm undecided. In theory it sounds good, but for one what is going to happen to the price of Australian exports? If they are affected by the carbon tax then that could have a serious impact on the industry.
Also if the price of Australian goods go up, then wouldn't that just encourage businesses to import more goods from other countries which haven't been affected by a carbon tax?
Unless this scheme is adopted worldwide then I see a few potential problems.

Also the fact that the meat and dairy industries won't be affected by the carbon tax really depreciates the potential value of having the tax in my opinion.

Here, someone read this material and summarise to me what it means. Try to ignore the rhetoric and fluff:

Clean Energy Future:
http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/clean-energy-future/our-plan/

that's abuse!!!!

Don't spank monkeyss,, neneeooeeeeoooooooOOOOoOOOOoooooOOOoowowwaaahhhh!!!

The tax is on carbon dioxide, which is a pollutant when it excedes a certain amount. The tax is not designed to reduce the amount of CO2 in the air, rather slow the rate at which Australia emits CO2, thus doing our part to slow the rate of change in temperature globally.

Of course it's going to have a minimal (even negligible) effect if other countries don't join in - but we can't seriously sit and criticise others for not acting if we don't. Having this tax is also a diplomatic move, because it says that we are acting on climate change, and have the moral authority to criticise others for not doing the same.

The tax actually does guarantee people will use less CO2, as it creates a viable long term market for renewable energy, by forcing the price of carbon-intensive energy up and subsidising renewable energy. When renewable energy becomes cheaper then the carbon-intensive energy, renewable energy's market share will sky rocket.

If you're interested in 'real conversation,' how about reading an economists perspective on it (who's usually centre-right on issues): http://www.harryrclarke.com/category/climate-change/

That's why trade exposed industries (such as steel) are getting government assistance and tax breaks.

The price of Australian goods is already forcing businesses to buy from lower tax countries to remain competitive...hopefully we'll see carbon tariffs on goods from non-carbon taxing countries soon (like the EU).

It's a shame meat and dairy industries are not affected by the tax, but a reduction is better then doing nothing. A tax including those industries would be far less politically viable then the one proposed (if that's even considered politically viable).