Federal Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce, has backed the decision by the Nationals Parliamentary Party to drop its commitment to Net Zero.
Mr Boyce, who opposed any commitment to reach Net Zero even before being elected to Federal Parliament, said today's announcement is a win for common sense.
"Under Labor's Net Zero and energy policies, energy prices are soaring, industry is in retreat, the environment is being degraded and it's exposing our nation to strategic risk," Mr Boyce said.
"Research by the Institute of Public Affairs has revealed that my electorate of Flynn will be the most impacted in Australia by continuing down the Net Zero disaster.
"16,289 jobs or 24% of the workforce could be out of work, that's almost one in every four workers in our region who lose out under this policy.
"The impact of Net Zero is already being felt across our heavy industrial smelters and refineries. Major corporations are demanding billions in government subsidies to remain competitive and stay operational.
"These are the blue-collar industries that traditionally support Labor and they are going to be the first to lose jobs because of Labor's destructive policies, which also do nothing to change global emissions.
"In my electorate of Flynn, I'm a proud supporter of our industries. The Port of Gladstone has the fourth-largest coal export terminal in the world. It also has the Curtis Island Gas Terminal, the largest on the East Coast of Australia.
"This is where we send our gas and our coal, mined in Central Queensland, by train and then onto boats and exported overseas. It goes to countries such as China and India.
"While as a country, we are happy to export it, we don't want to use it. If it's good enough for other countries to use, why can't we use it here?
Mr Boyce said not only does Net Zero policy put thousands of jobs at risk, but it is also risking the environment and social fabric of rural and regional communities.
"Over 90 renewable projects are proposed for the electorate of Flynn, which includes thousands of wind turbines, millions of solar panels, thousands of batteries the size of shipping containers and pumped hydro using our water resources," Mr Boyce said.
"This is not even including the necessary connection infrastructure - 28,000 kilometres of transmission lines, hundreds of synchronous condensers and substations that will blanket the countryside.
"Hundreds of thousands of acres of land are being cleared to accommodate this intermittent source of energy and its infrastructure.
"These projects are dividing communities, creating mental health issues, causing enormous environmental damage and turning agricultural land into industrial energy zones.
"Enough is enough, I will continue my fight to protect local jobs in our region and will call out Labor's insatiable, reckless energy policy."
