With final approval of the Senate on July 17, Australia officially became the first developed nation to repeal its deeply controversial tax on emissions of carbon dioxide, dealing a major setback to proponents of increasingly discredited man-made “global warming” theories. Climate realists worldwide celebrated the historic development, while enraged global-warming theorists furiously lashed out at Australian lawmakers. Analysts also noted that the repeal, shepherded through by conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott, could be a foreshadowing of much bigger problems for the widely criticized United Nations anti-CO₂ crusade.   

Of course, the new Australian leader actually rose to power in a landslide last year by promising the public that he would repeal the economy-crushing tax on CO₂ emissions. Despite opposition from climate alarmists in the Labour Party and other smaller parties — extreme Greens Party boss Christine Milne even claimed Australia would become a “global pariah” — Abbott was finally able to fulfill what analysts said was his most important campaign pledge. Because his conservative-leaning Liberal Party does not control the Senate, however, the Australian prime minister relied on support of other parties to secure the historic 39 to 32 victory. 

The tax on CO₂ emissions was originally adopted by the Labour Party-led government in 2011, which broke its promise not to impose it. After the scheme sparked soaring costs of living and record business failures, the Australian public turned overwhelmingly against it, with Abbott offering a “pledge in blood” to kill the tax. Those promises led his party to a massive victory in last year’s legislative elections. However, because the Senate was not under conservative control, two previous efforts since then to ax the tax had failed. On July 17, though, with support from three senators in businessman Clive Palmer’s party, Abbott succeeded in pushing the measure through following a successful vote in the House of Representatives last week.

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