The Nationals WA party room has voted against the Federal Government’s unrealistic emissions policies, saying it is time to restore the special covenant between people and the land.
Nationals WA Leader, Shane Love, says while the Nationals WA continue to support the principles of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, the Federal Government’s pursuit of climate targets has proven unrealistic and unsuccessful.
“We believe in the science which proves global warming, and we believe in playing our part in reducing it – but not with policies that make everyday life harder for families, businesses, and regional towns.
“We are suddenly in a situation in which we are destroying the environment to save the environment.”
Mr Love says although the issue is a predominantly federal one requiring a realistic national response, the eight Nationals parliamentarians could not support an unsustainable approach which is literarily making it harder for people to exist.
“The burden always seems to swing back in regional communities, and they are now hurting alongside everyone else. As the voice of reason for rural WA, we have a responsibility to do the right thing.
“Power bills are going through the roof; thousands of people are being laid off and huge tracts of bushland and farmland are being cleared for renewable energy zones which threaten regional livelihoods.”
Mr Love says latest research makes a compelling case for walking away from Labor’s unachievable targets.
These are:
- Wholesale power bills have spiralled to be higher than other comparable nations.
- Australia has lost more than 7000 heavy industry jobs since 2020.
- 95 per cent of Australia’s emissions reductions have been generated by land use restrictions and changes.
- Productive farmland is being converted into subsidised energy estates, and wildlife corridors are being re-zoned by random renewables energy projects.
- Australia, which delivers just one per cent of global emissions, is now delivering CO2 reductions at nearly twice the rate of comparable economies.
Mr Love says every country should do its fair share to reduce global emissions but not to their own detriment.
“If we continue to accept Labor’s targets, Australians will only feel more pain.”
“We believe in an agnostic energy approach which accepts all decarbonisation solutions – renewable and technological.
“But we do not accept net zero targets which deliver net nothing to our economic future.”