Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has described the Opposition leader Tony Abbott's relentless campaign against the carbon tax as the work of a ''gutless, political opportunist''.
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In address to the National Press Club today, Mr Combet said he wanted to sort ''fact from fiction'' about the carbon tax which comes into effect on July 1.
Acknowledging Mr Abbott for running a ''good scare campaign'', Mr Combet went on to savage claims made by the Coalition that the carbon tax would ''act as a wrecking ball on the local economy''.
''Mr Abbott has repeatedly intentionally deceived and misrepresented the facts about carbon pricing,'' Mr Combet said.
''In a truly gutless performance, he has travelled the country terrifying people, standing before pensioners and frightening them, and standing before workers and telling them they will lose their jobs.''
The former union boss conceded the government had suffered a heavy political toll in its efforts to deliver the carbon tax but said the moment of truth was coming and the public would be able ''to test Mr Abbott's claims''.
''The debate over the carbon price has again exposed the divide in Australian politics between the reformers and the wreckers,'' he said.
''Those seeking to sabotage that policy are acting against the national interest.''
Mr Combet's comments came as Mr Abbott conceded that the renewable energy target, supported by the coalition, was pushing up electricity prices.
It is understood a number of conservative MPs criticised the coalition's support for the renewable energy target during yesterday's joint partyroom meeting while discussing recent big hikes in household electricity bills.
The target aims for 20 per cent of Australia's electricity supply to come from renewable sources by 2020.
Coalition MPs argued that this was responsible for pushing up electricity prices.
During a media appearance to a small business just outside in NSW town, Queanbeyan, Mr Abbott acknowledged the concerns of colleagues. ''I certainly accept that renewable energy schemes are contributing to rises in prices.''
Mr Abbott said that the opposition's environment spokesman Greg Hunt was working with coalition state governments to try to reduce the pricing impact of renewable schemes.
''I'm pleased that our emissions reduction fund is offering the states a much more acceptable and economically responsible way of reducing emissions.''
The Opposition continued its attack on the carbon tax during a spirited Question Time, dedicating most of its allocated questions to the subject.
With AAP
