Editorial: Qld regions key to Albanese’s plans
It was no surprise to see the Prime Minister back in Queensland yesterday after falling to a record low number of federal seats, but it will take more than words to win back support in Queensland, writes the editor.
Opinion
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It was no surprise to see Prime Minister Anthony Albanese back in Queensland yesterday.
Labor fell to a record low number of federal seats in this state despite winning last year’s federal election.
It clearly has a lot of work to do to win back Queensland voters, particularly in the regions where the party has no lower house representation.
The Prime Minister has a complex relationship with the state, and it is no coincidence that Labor chose to launch details for its “safeguard mechanism” – a carbon emissions cap-and-trade scheme – in regional Queensland.
About a third of the country’s top emitting facilities that will be captured by the scheme – manufacturers, smelters and coal mines – are based in Queensland.
If it goes wrong, it will go wrong badly in the Sunshine State.
By having Minister Chris Bowen launch it at Rio Tinto’s smelter in Gladstone, the Albanese government signalled it was confident it had the balance right, business on side and it would not cost regional jobs.
Mr Albanese said as much yesterday in Rockhampton.
“Companies are moving, business is moving, businesses like Rio Tinto. What they’re looking at is how they continue their manufacturing processes while they reduce their emissions,” he said.
“That’s the objective. To maintain jobs, maintain industry, but do it in a way that uses clean energy.”
If it works, it will do much to ease many regional Queenslanders’ wariness when it comes to a Labor government.
There was a rocky start to the relationship between the Albanese government and regional Queensland, with the October budget scrapping proposed the Hell’s Gate Dam and Urannah dam, while Emu Swamp dam and the Hughenden Irrigation Project were deferred indefinitely.
The Rockhampton Ring Road also had its $800m in funding delayed into the never-never, despite already being out to tender.
It created a major headache for the government in a region it has been desperate to win back, and led to late promises to bring back a portion of that money for early works.
Mr Albanese does hold Queensland in high regard and is well versed on regional issues, famously schooling Opposition leader Peter Dutton on the difference between Yeppoon and the Yeppen flood plain in a fiery Question Time showdown last year.
But it will take more than words to win back support in Queensland and funding cuts certainly have not won Labor any friends.
The real trick, however, will come down to jobs.
When it comes to coal-based industries and regions, and how to transition to a greener economy, Mr Albanese has been walking a fine line, but so far successfully.
If he is able to show regional Queenslanders their jobs are not at risk, from the safeguard mechanism or other climate policies, it will go a long way toward winning back their trust.
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