Malcolm Turnbull undermines Abbott's 'electricity tax scam' claim over ETS

As the PM ramps up attack on Labor's promised emissions trading scheme, the communications minister admits all emission reduction policies come at a cost

Malcolm Turnbull has cut through the slogans and semantics dominating the climate policy debate - pointing out that all policies to push low-emission electricity generation come at a cost to households, including the ones the government supports, and that the cost of renewables is falling.

Tony Abbott on Monday unveiled a new three-word slogan to attack Labor's promised emissions trading scheme - saying it was an "electricity tax scam". The prime minister also labelled Labor's promise to source 50% of electricity from renewables by 2030 "bizarre" and "unnecessary", said it would cause "a massive overbuild in windfarms" and claimed it could cost "$60bn or more".