Matt Burnett and Colin Boyce have traded barbs on the Federal Government’s Net Zero emissions target

Colin Boyce and Matt Burnett have gone head to head regarding the Federal Government’s Net Zero emissions targets.

Member for Flynn candidates Matt Burnett and Colin Boyce have traded verbal barbs regarding the Federal Government’s latest activity on Net Zero emissions.

LNP candidate for Flynn Colin Boyce said he was backing the coal industry to ensure the future of Central Queensland’s heavy industry sector and the jobs of local workers.

“The reality of the economics is that under a net zero policy our nation would have a lower standard of living, because business activity would drop, pay packets would disappear and it’s the people living in regional areas who would bear the brunt,” he said.

Mr Boyce claimed Australia emitted fewer than 1 per cent of the world’s man-made CO2 emissions.

“Since the 1990s some of the world’s richest nations have appeared to reduce their emissions by outsourcing the production of manufactured goods, mainly to China and other developing countries,” he said.

“They are simply relocating their production offshore – there is no true reduction in emissions – and these same rules would apply against Australia. For example, around 70 per cent of our agricultural output is exported yet the emissions will count against Australia.

“Coal and related manufacturing, rail, port and small business employ tens of thousands of people in the Flynn electorate, if we support net zero emissions and walk away from coal and affordable coal fired power, we are walking away from those jobs.

“The people of Flynn understand the importance of affordable power and the value of our coal industry.

“All you have to do to see evidence of global demand for our coal is count the ships coming in and out of Gladstone Harbour.

“More than 70 million tonnes of coal were exported from Gladstone last year, creating wealth locally, regionally and nationally.

“We also really don’t want to find ourselves in the same position as the UK is in now, where they’ve had to switch coal fired power stations back on, because they can’t rely on their renewables.”

Australian Labor Party candidate for Flynn Matt Burnett said his track record of support for coal mining and the resources industry had never been in doubt.

“The message is plain and simple; I want to see more jobs in more industries,” Mr Burnett said.

“Whether that be in a coal mine, a manufacturing shop floor, in new energy generation and transmission, or through the thousands of jobs coming in the hydrogen industry.”

Originally published as Matt Burnett and Colin Boyce have traded barbs on the Federal Government’s Net Zero emissions target