Federal Member for Capricornia and Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing, Michelle Landry has slammed the Australian Labor Party and the Greens for colluding together to pass the Albanese Labor Government’s Climate Change Bill.
At the National Press Club today, the Leader of the Greens Adam Bandt confirmed that the Albanese Government included restrictions on the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), Export Finance Australia (EFA) and Infrastructure Australia (IA) in its climate change legislation to secure the Green’s support.
Ms Landry said new investment in regional and rural areas will now be nearly impossible due to Labor bowing to the Greens.
“These changes will make it harder – if not impossible – for agencies to recommend or provide finance and insurance to projects in the energy, resources and agricultural sectors.
“It will also see important regional infrastructure projects, such as upgrades to freight corridors, ports and gas pipelines, overlooked because of their connection to carbon-producing industries.
“This is a short-sighted capitulation which will have long-term detrimental effects in regional areas,” Ms Landry said.
Ms Landry said the Prime Minister is showing his true colours in abandoning regional electorates like Capricornia.
“The Prime Minister promised that he would not ban coal and gas projects. By denying them finance, he is seeking to stop them from going ahead. Make no mistake, this is a ban by stealth.
“Before the election, the Prime Minister said he wouldn’t do any deals with fringe groups. Less than two months in, he has already done a deal with the Greens that will see jobs and investment disappear from regional Australia.
“He has sold out the millions of Australians who depend on these industries for a living,” Ms Landry said.
