Julia Gillard last Wednesday: We are cutting carbon pollution. None of the silly claims about carbon pricing destroying the economy, wiping Whyalla off the map, $100 roasts - any of the foolish things said by the Opposition, have proved to come true. Today: A MINING company has blamed Australia's high costs for its scrapping of a plan to build a $1 billion processing plant at Whyalla, South Australia, that would have created 1000 jobs.,, UPDATE Julia Gillard on the carbon tax in May 2011: When Australia has a carbon price, when households are generously assisted, when jobs continue to grow, when the sun rises in the east, cows keep giving milk, chickens still lay eggs, our opponents know their campaign of fear will be exposed as a sham ... Gillard on July 1 last year: I think Australians are pretty smart, pretty practical people and they will judge (the carbon tax) through their lived experience. They'll see, millions of them, seven million of them in their pay packet in the coming week the benefit of the tax cuts. And the significance of that shouldn't be underestimated. . ...whether it's today or in the weeks or months ahead, I think Australians will judge carbon pricing from the experience that they live. And I believe when the dust settles in the months ahead people will come to see it as the right move for Australia's future. Today's Essential Report poll: Labor 45 per cent, Coalition 55