TWO key independent MPs involved in climate negotiations with the Gillard government have lashed out at a plan by Labor to spend $12 million of taxpayers' money on an advertising campaign for its proposed carbon tax.
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The furore erupted yesterday as the government and the Greens remained deadlocked on parts of the carbon tax's design and compensation to the coal industry - issues that will again be thrashed out by the multiparty climate committee today.
Announcing the advertising campaign yesterday, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet said a final decision to proceed with it would depend on the result of multiparty talks and the government's campaign ad guidelines.
Mr Combet said that the $12 million put aside for the campaign paled into insignificance next to the $121 million spent by the Howard government on advertising its Work Choices industrial relations policy.
But the proposed carbon tax campaign drew the ire of independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor - both members of the multiparty committee - who said they had been given little notice of the decision.
Mr Oakeshott said the decision was ''unhelpful'' at an ''incredibly sensitive time'' for the carbon tax negotiations.
Mr Windsor said: ''We are being asked to be part of the process that determines the thing they want to promote.
''And we haven't finished that determination, so it almost puts us in the position that we are endorsing the spending of public funds on propaganda, and I'm not prepared to do that.''
Opposition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt said households ''are being asked to pay for the government to advertise why mums and dads should pay higher electricity prices''.
Key topics to be discussed at today's committee meeting include compensation for coalmines and coal-powered electricity generators.
Labor insiders are increasingly worried about the Greens' hardline position against assistance to coal.
The Greens also believe they are yet to extract enough concessions for renewable energy and are upset at recent public pressure from Labor ministers, backbenchers and union heads agitating for significant industry compensation under a carbon price.
The treatment of the 2020 emissions reduction target under a carbon price scheme, in the event of a parliamentary deadlock, also threatens to bring down the discussions.
If the parliament and the government disagree on emissions reduction caps under a carbon price, Labor wants the target to revert automatically to an unconditional 5 per cent cut on 2000 levels.
But the Greens - who want a minimum 25 per cent emissions cut by 2020 - would want the target to remain on the backburner.
