Govt urges Labor to back carbon tax repeal THE federal coalition government knows it's going to take more than putting legislation on the table to come good on its signature election promise to get rid of the carbon tax. Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday took the first step toward fulfilling his long-standing pledge by introducing a package of bills to parliament to repeal Labor's "toxic tax." But with the initial act done and dusted, the government sharpened its attack on the opposition, which is putting up hurdles to the carbon tax repeal becoming law. Mr Abbott wanted to introduce the package of bills as the first order of business on Wednesday, but Labor's parliamentary tactics delayed the big moment for more than a hour. When he finally stood, Mr Abbott was heckled by more than a dozen protesters before Speaker Bronwyn Bishop threatened to clear the entire public gallery. Mr Abbott ploughed ahead, declaring the September election was a referendum on the carbon tax and the government had been given a clear mandate. "The Australian people have already voted upon this bill and now the parliament gets its chance," he told parliament. The message was clear - the government was delivering on its promise and Labor must fulfil the will of the people. "You should hang your head in shame and get out of the way of repealing the carbon tax," Environment Minister Greg Hunt told the opposition during question time. The government says ditching the tax will cut electricity bills by nine per cent and gas bills by seven per cent and deliver a $550 a year saving to the average household. An alliance of leading industry groups appealed to Labor not to delay the bills, claiming this would hurt businesses. But climate advocates don't want the tax ditched until there is a stronger alternative on the table. The opposition is refusing to support the repeal unless the fixed carbon price is replaced by a floating price emissions trading scheme. It also says the government's so-called direct action plan, revolving around carbon abatement measures, is a slush fund for polluters. "We're going to the parliament to do exactly what we told the Australian people what we'd do," Labor frontbencher Tony Burke said. A Senate vote on the repeal bills is unlikely before two upper house inquiries into the legislation and the government's direct action plan to reduce carbon emissions. One MP who won't be voting on the legislation is Clive Palmer. He's abstained because of a potential conflict of interest related to his mining businesses. However, this won't stop Palmer United Party senators from voting on the bills if they're put to the new Senate after July 1, 2014. "They do not have a conflict of interest," Mr Palmer said. If passed, the package of laws would not only repeal the carbon tax but abolish the Climate Change Authority - an independent government advisory body. The government also introduced a bill to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, a move decried as "economically and environmentally reckless" by the Australian Conservation Foundation.