Safeguard Mechanism Will Kill Jobs in Regional Australia

In order to reach their 2030 climate targets, the Federal Labor Government have announced they will force 215 of Australia’s biggest polluters to cut emissions by 5 per cent each year or pay for their emissions output.

“In effect it acts as a tax on families, a tax on businesses and a big tax on regional Australia.  It’s Carbon Tax 2.0 and another major blow for the energy industry.”

“Labor are executing drastic climate targets with no consideration for the toll it takes on Australian jobs and household budgets”.

Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox has opposed this decision saying that Labor is targeting regional Queensland jobs and inflicting more pain on household bills.

“Labor’s Safeguard Mechanism affects facilities that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. If facilities exceed this amount, the business will need to buy carbon credits,” Mr Willcox said.

“We have 28 of the high emitting industry facilities in surrounding regions who will be impacted by these mandatory emissions cuts. These are Dawson jobs now put in jeopardy by Labor’s climate targets.

“Leading up to the 2022 Federal election, Prime Minister Albanese and his party promised there would be no carbon tax. This is just a fancy name for exactly that and another reason you cannot trust the Labor Government.”