There are calls for low income households to be protected from high petrol and electricity prices under climate change reforms.
The Garnaut Report recommended an extra tax on fuel and little or no compensation for the country's power stations.
But federal opposition leader Brendan Nelson said Australian families could not afford to be slugged any further.
"Australian families are making choices about whether they'll put another $10 of petrol in the car or buy a leg of lamb, that's what it's got down to," Mr Nelson said.
"This is a very hard year for Australia and its going to get harder thanks to (prime minister) Rudd's approach to these issues."