Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has described the Opposition leader Tony Abbott's relentless campaign against the carbon tax as the work of a ''gutless, political opportunist''.

In address to the National Press Club today, Mr Combet said he wanted to sort ''fact from fiction'' about the carbon tax which comes into effect on July 1.

Acknowledging Mr Abbott for running a ''good scare campaign'', Mr Combet went on to savage claims made by the Coalition that the carbon tax would ''act as a wrecking ball on the local economy''.

''Mr Abbott has repeatedly intentionally deceived and misrepresented the facts about carbon pricing,'' Mr Combet said.

''In a truly gutless performance, he has travelled the country terrifying people, standing before pensioners and frightening them, and standing before workers and telling them they will lose their jobs.''

The former union boss conceded the government had suffered a heavy political toll in its efforts to deliver the carbon tax but said the moment of truth was coming and the public would be able ''to test Mr Abbott's claims''.

''The debate over the carbon price has again exposed the divide in Australian politics between the reformers and the wreckers,'' he said.

''Those seeking to sabotage that policy are acting against the national interest.''

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