<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Source: Clean Energy Regulator <P> * per tonne of emitted CO </P> </Td> </Tr> <P> * per tonne of emitted CO </P> <P> A carbon pricing scheme in Australia, commonly dubbed by its critics as a "carbon tax", was introduced by the Gillard Labor Government in 2011 as the Clean Energy Act 2011 which came into effect on 1 July 2012 . It was in operation until it was repealed on 17 July 2014, and backdated to 1 July 2014 . In its place the Abbott Government set up the Emission Reduction Fund in December 2014 . As a result of being in place for such a short time, regulated organisations responded in a rather tepid and informal manner, with very few investments in emissions reductions being made . </P> <P> The 2011 scheme required entities which emit over 25,000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases and which were not in the transport or agriculture sectors to obtain emissions permits, called carbon units . Carbon units were either purchased from the government or issued free as part of industry assistance measures . The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency stated that in June 2013 only 260 entities were subject to the scheme, of which approximately 185 were liable to pay for carbon units under the carbon price scheme . </P>

Who had the idea for the laws that established the carbon tax