The ousted leader of the Nationals, Barnaby Joyce, has revealed the full cost of getting his party to support the former coalition government’s zero-net policy.
Key points:
- Joyce says she wanted to relinquish leadership after the election
- Joyce says it raised nearly $ 30 billion in commitments in exchange for supporting emissions policy
- The National Party took all 16 seats in the lower house on May 21
The now Deputy Prime Minister insists he has “made a good deal” for the Australian region by securing $ 30 billion in funding commitments from former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Mr Joyce was ousted yesterday by his former MP David Littleproud in a post-election leadership vote.
Despite running in the polls, Joyce said that if he had won, he intended to step down in the next term.
“It’s kind of a burden on my shoulders, to be honest,” Mr. Joyce said Tuesday.
“I always said, and I’m surprised it never leaked, I always said I was coming out of the lead.
“I probably didn’t want to do that yesterday, but this is life, this is politics.”
Joyce said she told the Nationals party hall her plans as early as last June, but speaking to Canberra media, she did not name her favorite successor.
“I said this when I defended leadership when there was a change between Michael [McCormack] and myself, “he said.
“I said, ‘This is a transition to a new leadership team,’ and I said it to the end.”
Joyce said she wanted to secure a good deal for nationals in a secret coalition deal with the Liberals before leaving office and that she did not think it would be “fair” not to run in yesterday’s leadership vote.
“I had to stand up because I had a contract with the Australian people,” he said.
“I think I’d be pretty disappointed if they said, you know, ‘Suppose you’ll be there later.’
“It’s up to me to stand up. And I planted myself, and I didn’t win.”
Barnaby Joyce says he had a contract with the Australian people to contest the Nationals leadership. (Matt Roberts)
Real cost of net zero target closer to $ 30 billion
After this year’s federal budget, it looked like Mr. Joyce had raised $ 21 billion in measures for the Australian region, including new roads, dams and railways, which was seen as a payment for his party backing a commitment to zero carbon emissions by 2050. .
But Joyce said the actual figure was “north of $ 21 billion” and closer to $ 30 billion.
“I’m an old bush accountant. I know how to make a deal,” Joyce said.
“I really fucked up a lot of that.”
Joyce also hinted that nationals withheld support for a 2030 climate target.
“In our agreement, which we and Mr. Morrison and I reached, we did not support a 2030 goal. We supported a 2050 goal, not a 2030 goal,” he said. .
Barnaby Joyce says he always planned the transition out of National Party leadership. (Supplied by: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)
Mr Joyce has been criticized by Coalition colleagues for contributing to the disappearance of downtown Liberal candidates who lost to Teal independents campaigning for stronger climate commitments.
Mr Joyce said he was “absolutely committed to serving the people of New England” and hoped that the whole term of parliament would be over.
Posted 42 minutes ago, 42 minutes ago, Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 2:10 AM, last updated 10 minutes ago, 10 minutes ago, Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 2:43 AM