The carbon price is to be introduced in Australia's Parliament next month and should be a law by the end of the year, the country's federal government said on Wednesday.
Australia's climate change minister Greg Combet said the government is keen to get the legislation through both houses of parliament before Christmas so that it can stick to its timetable of having it take effect on July 1 next year, an ABC report said.
"I'll be bringing the legislation into the House of Reps in September," Combet was quoted as saying.
"We'll establish the processes in due course within the parliament, but [we want it to get] through the House of Reps and through the Senate this year," Combet said.
Under the scheme, Australia's 500 highest-polluting companies will pay $23 for every tonne of carbon pollution they emit from July 1 next year.
Households will get tax cuts and entitlement boosts to offset higher power and other costs.
Combet also criticised opposition leader Tony Abbott for telling his party room on Tuesday to keep the carbon tax debate civil, saying that it is Abbott himself who is whipping up a fear campaign.
{{/usCountry}}Combet also criticised opposition leader Tony Abbott for telling his party room on Tuesday to keep the carbon tax debate civil, saying that it is Abbott himself who is whipping up a fear campaign.
{{/usCountry}}The opposition leader made the comments on the same day he addressed an angry anti-carbon tax rally outside parliament.
"This guy has been running a totally unprincipled, disgraceful campaign," Combet said.