Mayor toes independent line but ‘Coalition has it right’

Kevin Mack has backed the Coalition’s emissions policy despite joining a climate campaign with Kerryn Phelps and Zali Steggall.

Scott Morrison at a Country Women’s Association meeting in Albury yesterday, where he addressed concerns over water allocations. Picture: AAP

Albury Mayor Kevin Mack, considered a chance to unseat Sussan Ley in the rural NSW electorate of Farrer, has backed the Coalition’s emissions policy over Labor’s, ­despite joining an advertising campaign with Kerryn Phelps and Zali Steggall calling for more ­action on climate change.

Mr Mack has labelled Bill Shorten­’s 45 per cent emissions ­reduction target “extreme”, ­declaring he was more comfortable with the Coalition’s target of between 26 and 28 per cent.

But, unlike the two major parties­, Mr Mack is backing a Greens-like policy to cap coal export­s so Australia is not helping other ­nations increase emissions.

“Probably at this point the ­Coalition has got it right. But I don’t think either side have got it right in terms of selling coal and brown coal overseas, to markets where they don’t have emissions controls,” he said.

“We are setting emissions targets and yet we are allowing the sale of coal to go overseas to pollute­ environments where they can’t even see the sky.”

Mr Mack was part of a group of independent candidates and MPs who launched an advertising campaign yesterday and declared voting for independents would lead to greater action on climate change.

Scott Morrison was in the electorate in southwestern NSW to support Ms Ley, who holds the seat by a margin of more than 20 per cent, but party insiders fear it could be lost because of anger over water ­issues.

The Prime Minister began the day at a Country Women’s Association event in Albury, talking up his plan to tackle drought. Farrer encompasses the state seat of Murray, where anger over mass fish kills and a lack of water for farmers saw the former ­Nationals stronghold fall to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party.

Mr Morrison also campaigned across the border in the Victorian seat of Indi, which Liberal Party figures believe can be won, given that popular independent Cathy McGowan is retiring.

Mr Mack, who has received dona­tions of at least $200,000 from NSW ­irrigation farmers, wants more water designated to farmers in NSW and Victoria ­rather than the environment under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. “I think we need to pause the plan and review what is happening,” he said.

“Return some water urgently to the irrigators and the dairy farmers and pause buybacks of water.”

Mr Morrison warned yesterday against any large-scale changes to the scheme but declared that the competition watchdog was looking at how it could work better for farmers.

“The Murray-Darling Basin Plan, though, is a plan that has ­bipartisan support,” he said.

“It’s a very complicated plan, it’s by no means perfect, but the ­absence of that plan or the unravelling of that plan would carry with it equally some very significant consequences.

“So I think you proceed carefully in this area.”