Anthony Albanese tells Labor MPs to keep off the gas
Anthony Albanese has instructed his MPs to not take a position on the Narrabri gas development.
Anthony Albanese has instructed his MPs to not take a position on the Narrabri gas development, with resources spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon defying the Labor leader’s edict by backing the NSW government’s approval of the $3.6bn project.
The Opposition Leader’s office this week handed out suggested answers for Labor MPs when they were asked about the project, which was approved by the NSW Independent Planning Commission on Wednesday despite deep opposition from environmental groups.
The “talking points”, leaked to The Weekend Australian, have led some Labor MPs to claim the language the party was using on the proposed gas development was similar to Bill Shorten’s ambiguity on the Adani coal mine.
The talking points say there is a need for more gas in the NSW market but in no way references support for the project, or the jobs that can be created from the project, if it meets its final environmental approvals by the federal government.
They also say nothing about Labor supporting the gas sector, in a rebuff to calls from the CFMEU and the Australian Workers Union for the party to be vocal about its support for the sector.
“NSW has relied upon gas supplies from other states for decades which are now diminishing,” the talking points say. “NSW will need alternative supplies of gas for households and manufacturers.
“The NSW and Morrison governments must now demonstrate that the project will meet all environmental standards and ensure communities’ concerns are thoroughly addressed through rigorous and transparent processes.”
While Mr Fitzgibbon hailed the state approvals of Narrabri as “great news”, energy spokesman Mark Butler and other senior Labor figures were less emphatic.
Mr Butler said he had “consistently said” NSW needs alternative gas supplies but did not endorse the approval, while also mirroring the talking points in saying the government needed to demonstrate it would meet environmental standards.
Labor senator Tim Ayres, a close ally of Mr Albanese, said there would need to be “more gas in the future” but would not say if he supported the project.
“We’re not in government now,” Senator Ayres said.
The approach from federal Labor is in contrast from NSW Labor’s energy and climate change spokesman Adam Searle, who declared the state opposition “supports the decision” to approve Narrabri despite his previous scepticism of the project.
AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said federal Labor needed to back Narrabri.
“Narrabri must have bipartisan support to ensure that Australia can finally secure an affordable gas supply,” Mr Walton said.
“Federal Labor needs to trust the science and the Chief Scientist and fully get behind Narrabri.”
After the federal election, Mr Fitzgibbon was highly critical of Mr Shorten for failing to say the party would welcome the jobs from the Adani project if it passed environmental approvals.
“Why weren’t people prepared to say that if Adani passes all the environmental tests we will welcome the investment and the jobs?” he said last year.
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