As long as Labor stands firm against the abolition of the carbon tax, Abbott has no chance of scrapping the fixed price on carbon pollution before 2015 unless he goes to a double-dissolution election before July, he said.

“Tony Abbott’s promise to abolish the so-called carbon tax is proving to be a great big con,” Bandt said.

“As long as Labor doesn’t backflip on climate change again, the only way Tony Abbott can remove the fixed price on pollution, the so-called carbon tax, is with a double-dissolution election, before July 2014.”

“Tony Abbott is already shying away from calling a double-dissolution election because if we have a real referendum on climate change action, he will get even less support then he has now.”

The carbon tax is likely to run its full course, with the fixed price period staying until 2015, Bandt said.

“Tony Abbott’s promise to ‘axe the tax’ is turning out to be a great big new con,” he said.

“I am also worried by the comments from the Labor backbench today.

“Whoever becomes Labor leader in the next month must stand up for the Clean Energy Act or risk being punished by the public. The Australian people have seen too many backflips from Labor on global warming and they will not stomach another one.”