Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

which would actually put blue-collar workers out of a job, and such as the 50 per cent renewable target by the Labor Party which would put blue-collar workers out of a job, and this ridiculous process of net zero emissions by 2050. There'll be net zero jobs by 2050 under the Labor Party! I can understand how the member for Parkes would be standing up for his people—the people of Cobar, the people of Gilgandra, the people of Wilcannia, the people of Dubbo, the people of Bogan—

Opposition members interjecting—

I can understand why they would start making fun of Bogan, because they've turned their back on all the working class people. They now think working class people are a bit of a joke, something to be made fun of. That's the sort of people they are. They've also turned their back on the people of Blacktown, the people of Ipswich and the people of Geelong. And the Leader of the Opposition turns his back on this parliament every day. But we have a plan, for the honourable member for Parkes. We believe there should be better transferability between retailers. We brought that process into effect. The Prime Minister, the energy minister, the Treasurer and I brought that into effect.

We believe in coal-fired power. We really do. We believe in coal-fired power more than the member for Hunter, who has given up on coal workers and power workers, and more than the member for Shortland. I've seen your polling—your polling's gone through the floor. I've seen what happens to the blue-collar workers. They know that the Labor Party no longer represents them. The member for Herbert just sits back idly as jobs go off. She doesn't stand up for the people of Townsville. She no longer believes in the people of Townsville. They've given up on Augathella for Annandale, Bourke for Balmain and St George for St Kilda. They only have one idea: they want rebates.

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