CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia's government will set a carbon price of A$23 ($24.60) a tonne when it unveils a carbon tax and emissions trading scheme at the weekend, while also slashing the number of businesses forced to pay to pollute, newspaper reports said on Thursday.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard's minority Labor would announce on Sunday a price lower than one demanded by Greens supporters, and cut the number of companies hit by its carbon tax from 1,000 to about 500, The West Australian and Fairfax newspapers said, without naming sources.
Senior government ministers in Canberra asked about the reports declined to comment.
