The carbon tax will create a $73 million black hole in the ACT budget over the next four years, the Canberra Liberals say.
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Documents obtained by the Liberals under Freedom of Information suggest the estimated cost to the ACT budget will be about $20 million a year.
ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja has called on Chief Minister Katy Gallagher to detail how ''she will pay for the carbon tax hit to the government she leads''.
The ACT government supports a price on carbon and Treasurer Andrew Barr expected the tax would cost the ACT budget about $20 million in 2012-13, which he said would be offset somewhat by an increase in revenue.
''The Liberals are scaremongering on this issue,'' Mr Barr said. ''It may mean higher costs to some government agencies. The government will consider the necessary funding boost for agencies in the 2012-13 budget.
''The best way the government can respond to the carbon pricing is to reduce our energy use.''
The ACT Greens agreed there were costs associated with addressing climate change, but said the most expensive way of dealing with climate change was to do nothing. Jacqueline Williams
