Prime Minister Tony Abbott can boast he came through on at least one campaign promise on Friday as the Senate voted 39-32 to repeal the carbon tax.
The narrow vote, in which Labor and Greens tried to save the tax, came after the Senate debated for 55 hours, with many looking to dump a tax that has cost many political figures their seats, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Abbott and others have considered the tax on greenhouse gasses to be disruptive to the country's economy, with the PM calling it a "wrecking ball."
Abbott triumphantly spoke at the vote saying, "You voted to scrap the tax in September last year and today the Parliament finally listened." He also characterized the repealed carbon tax as "useless" and "destructive."
The Wall Street Journal reports that since the bill was enacted, Australia struggles began in 2008 like all other countries, which also wasn't helped by the mining boom slowing, which caused many to turn their back on the tax and boot out many who passed it.
The bill, which was cited by the International Energy Agency as legislation other countries should similarly enact, had hoped to cut the country's carbon emissions by 160 million metric tons by 2020 as the country continues to best the global average of daily emissions by four times.
The European Union was disappointed by the repeal and "regretted" Australia's move, EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com