Nationals leader David Littleproud has torn into Labor and the Teal independents, asking “don’t your fellow Australians count?” as he accused them of destroying the livelihoods and lifestyles of people in regional Australia.
Nationals leader David Littleproud has slammed the Albanese government over its energy plan which will cost “$1.5 trillion”.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced the Coalition’s nuclear plan last week.
“It’s $1.5 trillion, and that’s Net Zero Australia who’s articulated those numbers,” Mr Littleproud told Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
“Then $7 to $9 trillion between 2060.
“That’s why we’re saying we don’t just want to leave a legacy that just doesn’t last 15 to 20 years.
“We want something that’ll last 80 to 100 years.”
The Nationals Party leader appeared on Sky News Australia’s Sunday Agenda to discuss the government’s nuclear policy, when a question about renewable energy sparked a heated response from the Queensland MP.
While explaining that renewables would still form part of Australia’s energy future under the Coalition’s nuclear, Mr Littleproud launched into a tirade about the impact large-scale renewables are having on regional communities.
David Littleproud has torn into the teal independents, claiming their “all renewables” approach to energy policy is destroying people’s lifestyles in regional Australia.
Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire
“What we’re experiencing, and the real-life experience that I’m experiencing here, is you’re saying your fellow Australians livelihoods being torn up because of this ideological view of an all renewables,” Mr Littleproud said.
“All we’ve got is transmission lines, solar panels and wind turbines taking up our productive landscape, tearing up remnant vegetation… just because the Teals and Labor think that we should go down this, this linear pathway of an all renewables approach.”
The Nationals leader accused Labor and the Teal independents of ignoring the people in regional Australia, asking “we don’t count?”
Nationals leader David Littleproud says nuclear is a “100-year” piece of infrastructure unlike the Albanese government’s “15-to-20-year” renewables.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced the Coalition’s nuclear plan last week.
“There is an upfront cost, but we’ll be upfront and clear about what that cost is,” Mr Littleproud told Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.
“This is a 100-year piece of infrastructure, not a 15-to-20-year piece of infrastructure.”
“Can I just say we, we seek to understand those Teal members of Parliament, but they should seek to understand us (and) the burden they’re asking regional Australians to bear,” he said.
“I mean, it is so entitled for them to look down their nose, dripping with self-righteous sanctimony, saying this is the only pathway but to hell with our lifestyle.
“Don’t your fellow Australians count?”
The Nationals leader said the Coalition’s nuclear policy would “avoid the need” for as much large-scale renewable projects.
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“We’ll have gas with CCS, and there will be place for renewable energy, but not the scale that we’re going down – an all renewables approach,” he said.
“You’re not going to have as much large-scale renewable energy into the system.”
However the Maranoa MP was far more positive about small-scale renewables, saying they should be encouraged.
“What we should explore is try to give energy independence to households and business where it’s possible, and piggyback off what states are doing by putting renewable energy in an environment it can’t destroy – which is on rooftops – and… supporting batteries.”