Not to be outdone by the Institute for Public Affairs releasing “The Research” on carbon pricing, the Victorian government has commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to model the impacts of a carbon price on each local government area in Victoria.  You can read about it in the Herald Sun or on the state Liberal Party site, where they say:

The Victorian Coalition Government has released new economic modelling by Deloitte Access Economics showing the Gillard Government’s carbon tax will damage the Victorian economy and hurt Victorian jobs.

STOP PRESS!  No they haven’t!  They’ve released the results of the modelling, but not “The Modelling”.

As economists interested in the environment we are always keen to look at models of carbon pricing, so we went online.  Nothing to be found!  Undeterred, we rang the Department of Premier and Cabinet, only to be told the actual modelling will be released “In the not-too-distant future”.

All we do know about the model is that it doesn’t include the compensation payments to household and industry.  Why skilled economists like those at Deloitte Access Economics wouldn’t include such a large factor in their assessment is a mystery.

We urge the media to refrain from reporting on un-released modelling and await “The Modelling” with bated breath!