NSW National MPs are preparing to walk away from an increasingly radical Berejiklian government as it continues to unleash over-the-top environmental policies onto the State.
The latest Greens-inspired policy, called the Koala Habitat Protection State Environmental Planning Policy, has up to six National MPs ready to quit the Coalition and sit on the cross benches.
It’s the latest in a long list of growth-destroying policies that have angered many of the government’s fatigued supporters – including the expansion of national parks, the introduction of Renewable Energy Zones and an all-out assault on affordable energy.
QUIT
This pile-up of green tape is devastating farmers, hurting regional industry, denying bushfire victims the ability to rebuild homes and choking the growth of regional towns.
Up to six National MPs have threatened to quit the Coalition over its “koala” policy. A move that would crash the government into minority – and possibly topple it.
Deputy Premier and NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro is in full support of his furious colleagues.
“I’ve got half a dozen members that are prepared to sit on the cross bench if we don’t resolve this,” Mr Barilaro told Sky News anchor Chris Kenny yesterday.
“This is a planning issue but, I tell you what mate, it’s one rule for the city and another rule for the bush.
“While we lay record amounts of bitumen and concrete and build buildings in Sydney, we use regional NSW as a biodiversity offset.
“Either we fix this legislation or I’ll bring in a repeal bill – or I’ll bring in a bill to override it and then we’ll test the numbers on the parliamentary floor.”
One of the National MPs threatening to defect, Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis, said his warning was no idle threat.
“The three billion native species that were killed in the bushfires weren’t killed because of the timber industry or the farmers,” he said.
BURNS
“Quite frankly, it was because of the mismanagement of our natural state.”
Mr Gulaptis said there was a serious lack of resources to look after NSW national parks and forests – hinting at NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean’s recent downscaling of hazard reduction burns.
Some senior stakeholders have said the government’s “koala” policy was nothing more than a backdoor move to lock up trees.
Timber NSW director Steve Dobbins said he was concerned the koala planning regulations would not protect the very koalas they were intended to look after.
“We need to recognise the threats to koalas, including disease, drought and what we’ve seen this past summer with wildfire — they are the threatening processes,” he said.
“This does nothing to protect them.”PC
Given a choice I would rather have Koalas than the Nationals, who should really be called the Parochials.
I am not a Green Leftie. I am a staunch Constitutional Monarchist, voted against same sex marriage, am horrified by the influence of the ‘woke’ brigade and am by nature conservative. As such I am very concerned about the rate at which we are wiping out other species and would prefer not to see Koalas added to the length list.
Nor am I impressed by a supposed leader who offers a challenge and then backs down completely as soon as his bluff is called. I can’t see the National party ministers wanting to lose the pay and perks of office.
I will be changing my Liberal Vote to a National Party Vote if Matt Kean is still in the Liberal Party after his comments on Howard, Morrison and Abbott. He is a young upstart with ambitions beyond his years. I wonder if he has every travelled beyond Wahroonga. Like most young people they know it all. That’s why a friend said of his children (older than Kean) I don’t need history books or encyclopedias as they know it all. Where was Matt Kean 100 years ago? As far as climate change goes has he ever lived in Asia or Europe where the sky’s are grey and the pollution making it difficult to breathe. I suggest he start there as whatever Australia does will not change the world or Australia except make the Australian economy more worse after COVID-19. Industry must have the cheapest reliable 24/7 power to produce what Australia did 50 – 100 years ago and be self sufficient. We built the Snowy and Ord River schemes and many coal fired power stations to drive industry. We need to continue building dams to save water during flooding rains and distribute water to our productive farm lands in times of drought. Who said when Warragamba Dam was nearly empty it would never fill again – well many times it has been down and filled again – so much for our scientists who’s prediction have been wrong so many times. Also Bush-fires have occurred over centuries all over Australia it is not a new phenomenon, it just needs managing in rural and city towns and proper fire breaks in forest areas.
We have good experienced people with engineering and management skills to deal with these situations and not desk jockey bureaucrats and politicians to tell us what should be done.
I totally agree with everything you have said Peter. Kean is no Liberal & is definately in the wrong party. I am with you & questioning my lifetime voting for the Libs. Clean out these left wing Liberals or you will be losing the support of your conservative base!
The old bait-and-switch trick: vote for the Liberals, get the Greens.
The Liberals are a spent political force who are entirely devoid of integrity, intelligence, and common sense (that’s how a party ends up when it’s controlled by hand-wringing socialists).
If Berejiklian continues further down the ruinous and ludicrous green renewables – climate alarmist path, she will find that many of her supporters will jump ship at the next election.
Morrison should also check any of his green-tinged thought processes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with carbon dioxide and water vapour emissions! We must look to coal, oil, gas and uranium to provide the solid, reliable and cheap energy Australia needs to prosper.
Too many Greenies in the LNP. Not surprising they are as bad as Labor. Maybe Berejiklian should get some of her overloaded public servants out of their offices to do the counting and leave the farmers alone.
Why should the farmers be punished when it was the Greens policy with the help of Labor of no burn-offs or land clearing that virtually killed off the koala population in fire ravaged areas. Looks like the situation is not going to change under the LNP.
So much for getting rid of Green Tape after the bushfires. The Libs need to remember how close they came to losing after the Greyhound ban and Local Council amalgamation debacles under Mike Baird.
People have long memories hopefully, but apparently the Government doesn’t.