The Carbon Tax Repeal Bills cleared a major hurdle yesterday when it passed through the House of Representatives.
The government used its majority to ensure the legislation passed the House of Representatives but the real showdown will be on December 2, 2013 when the legislation goes before the Senate.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott called on the Senate to support abolition of the carbon tax before Christmas.
"The repeal of the carbon tax will now go to the Senate. It will be up to the Senate to respect the will of the people and vote to scrap this job destroying tax," he said.
"If Labor decides to vote against the repeal in the Senate, it will be clear proof that Labor hasn't changed under Bill Shorten.
"Labor is still 'as one' with Julia Gillard and the Greens.''
Abbott then renewed his pledge that his government would not stop until the carbon tax had gone.
Following the lower house vote yesterday, Shorten emailed Labor colleagues urging them to hold their position against the legislation pointing out there is no effective climate change policy to replace the carbon tax.
"I am proud to lead a party that is sticking to our principles and holding the government to account," he said.
The bills passed mid-afternoon with the opposition attacking the Coalition's direct action plan as ''a stinking dead albatross'' around the neck of Environment Minister Greg Hunt.
Labor and the Greens both reaffirmed their commitment to blocking the Carbon Tax Repeal Bills in the Senate next month.
As well as removing the carbon tax the legislation will also abolish other climate change bodies such as the Climate Change Authority and Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
Soon after the legislation passed Greens leader, Christine Milne, said it was a dark day for the country.
''It makes one think that this is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper,'' she said.
If the repeal bills are blocked in the Senate next month, the government will be forced to re-introduce the legislation when the new Senate begins in July next year.
While the Greens are determined to block the legislation, Labor is willing to support an amendment to turn the fixed price carbon tax into an emissions trading scheme from July 1, 2014.
