Since the carbon tax was first announced, I've been to dozens of shopping centres, factories and mines talking about our country and its future.

People think our country is drifting and it's hard to know whether the Labor Party or the Greens are really in charge.

A word cloud highlighting the most commonly used words in Tony Abbott's address to the nation last night. Credit:worditout.com

Australians are worried about jobs and about the cost of living that just goes up and up and now there's the carbon tax that's just going to make a difficult situation worse.

Like you, Margie and I want a better future for our children. We only have one planet and I want to preserve it. But you don't protect the environment by making everyday life more expensive and by exporting Australian jobs.