THE carbon tax will destroy Gladstone, according to Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman.

“Labor are the people proposing to introduce a carbon tax that will destroy Gladstone,” Mr Newman told The Observer

“The carbon tax of Julia Gillard will cost jobs in Gladstone and yet Anna Bligh won’t stand up against it,” he said.

Gladstone is currently stuck in the middle of a carbon tax debate were fact and fiction have become blurred across all political spectrums.

Allegations of mass industry sackings and companies moving off-shore have become the political norm with some opposition MP’s claiming, “Gladstone will be wiped off the map,” if a carbon tax is introduced.

Gladstone Regional Council mayor Gail Sellers told The Observer they are concerned about the impact of the carbon tax on Gladstone and would rather not get into a political debate.

“Our industries trade on the international market it is crucial that they maintain the capacity to remain competitive to be viable,” Ms Sellers said.

“Council does not wish to enter the carbon tax debate except to say our industries must remain competitive on the world market and the carbon tax should not diminish their ability in this regard.”

Gladstone Industry Leadership Group (GILG) chief executive Kurt Heidecker said it’s a political and emotional debate and GILG don’t have enough detail to make an assessment.

“We are keen as a communication body to interpret and explain but we are just getting all this hype going backwards and forwards and we don’t want to get involved with the political debate,” Mr Heidecker said.

NRG general Manager Glenn Schumacher told The Observer the political debate is none of NRG’s business.

“NRG is more focused on the final outcome and addressing that when it is clear what it is,” Mr Shoemaker said.

Yesterday the federal member for Flynn Ken O’Dowd called on Central Queensland union leaders to support the jobs of the workers of Central Queensland and not support a carbon price if it costs a single job in Australia.

“We need to see if the union leaders in Central Queensland are going to stand up for the workers they represent and oppose this carbon tax”. Mr O’Dowd said.

“Gladstone and Central Queensland have energy intensive industries like aluminium and cement that are at particular risk from the carbon tax.

“We need to see the union leadership in Central Queensland take a stand. “

However, Central Queensland Electrical Trades Union (ETU) representative Craig Giddens told The Observer the ETU stands up for workers every day.

“Ken O’Dowd is just being Abbotts mouthpiece and trying to get some airtime,” Mr Giddens said.

“He has no credibility and less credibility with the workers of central Queensland.

Mr Gidden’s said Industry have been budgeting for the carbon tax for the last ten years.

“Currently the world can’t get enough coal and other resources out of the ground fast enough and the latest figures indicate due to china’s growth the alumina industry is going to go through the roof.

"I can’t see how a carbon tax is going to create job losses.”