Government under fire for refinery pledge

Andrew Brown | April 13, 2022

Scott Morrison has come under fire from the Greens for not doing enough on climate action, as the prime minister used the third day of the campaign to outline $250 million for two oil refineries.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese hosed down suggestions Labor would dump a review into raising the JobSeeker allowance, but admitted government debt would be a constraint in the future.

Mr Morrison started the day in western Sydney, before moving to Geelong to announce two $125 million grants to be matched for refineries in Brisbane and Victoria to begin major construction to upgrade facilities in a bid to boost fuel security.

He has come under criticism for the large investment in oil amid a changing climate, but Mr Morrison said the government had “sensible” targets in order to reduce emissions.

“We’re not going to force anybody to do something they don’t want to do, we want to make sure that the consumers drive this process,” the prime minister told reporters outside of Geelong on Wednesday.

“It’s not our policy to go and subsidise big car companies over in Europe, that’s a matter for them to get their technology and their costs down so they can offer a good deal to Australian consumers.”

The move has been criticised by the Electric Vehicle Council, who said the taxpayer subsidy for oil spoke volumes of the government’s priorities.

Greens leader Adam Bandt used an address at the National Press Club to hit out at the government for its inaction on climate change.

“Our enemy is the climate crisis. The enemy is fuelled by coal and gas. Mining and burning coal and gas is killing people and Liberal and Labor want more,” he said.

“Liberal and Labor are backing 114 new coal and gas projects around the country.”

Mr Albanese used a visit to Melbourne to launch a proposal for a trial of 50 urgent care clinics across the country, offering an alternative to busy hospital emergency departments.

The clinics would treat patients needing care for problems like broken bones, minor burns and cuts, in a bid to free up clogged emergency departments.

However, he found himself defending Labor’s stance on welfare payments.

He said the party would not review raising the JobSeeker rate above the current $46 a day figure in the first year of government, but the payment amount would be re-examined each year.

However, he admitted the large levels of government debt may hamper such efforts.

“We can’t do everything given the circumstances we are in,” Mr Albanese said.

“If we are fortunate enough to form government, we will form government at a time where debt’s heading towards $1 trillion, whereby you can’t repair all of the damage.”

With an integrity commission being spruiked as a key issue by independent candidates, the prime minister confirmed the coalition’s model for a federal anti-corruption commission would not be changed.

“Our view has been the same: when the Labor Party is prepared to support that legislation in that form, then we will proceed with it,” Mr Morrison said.

In Queensland, former coalition MP George Christensen signalled he’s making a comeback ahead of the May 21 poll and joining One Nation.

Party leader Pauline Hanson said Mr Christensen would be third on One Nation’s Senate ticket in Queensland.

Mr Christensen had previously announced he would be retiring from his seat of Dawson and earlier this month resigned from the LNP.

Queensland coalition senator Matt Canavan said it was a cowardly decision.

“It’s desertion … you don’t go off and speak to a minor party,” he told the Nine Network on Wednesday.

Mr Christensen is unlikely to pick up a Senate seat without a strong “vote below the line” campaign.