The Nationals Leader, Senator Matt Canavan, wants a patriotic ‘Australia on steroids’ and his address to the National Press Club on Wednesday echoed what I have been saying for many years.

Australia will stand on its own feet in these globally fragile times if we abandon, as Senator Canavan says, ‘this crazy Net Zero madness’.  I remind readers in my most recent Mallee’s Biggest Survey, over 67 per cent opposed ‘net zero’ outright, and an even higher 69 per cent do not want to pay a single cent towards net zero.

The Nationals showed great leadership on abandoning Net Zero. The Liberal Party accepted our common sense and adopted walking away from Net Zero as a Coalition position.  I highlight that the Coalition abandoned Net Zero well before the war in Iran shocked our energy security.

Senator Canavan also said Labor had undermined Australia’s fuel sovereignty by restricting domestic fuel production and subsidising foreign supplies.  Correct! I have been calling not just for our energy sovereignty but for the embrace of biofuels, like biodiesel from Mallee-grown Carinata.

In his speech, Senator Canavan also criticised the expansion of renewable energy projects overriding regional interests.  Senator Canavan is well aware of my advocacy in The Nationals and the Coalition Party Rooms on how Mallee is ground zero for unacceptable foreign-owned energy company behaviour.  The Nationals’ leader has listened with compassion and great interest when I have shared with him about the railroading of our communities. I hope to host him in Mallee next month to hear more first-hand from affected farmers and landowners.

Senator Canavan has also been vocal on the concerns of irrigators in River Murray communities, recently visiting Coleambally NSW and announcing an inquiry into the behaviour of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder aka the ‘CEWH’.  

On Wednesday Senator Canavan also backed halting devastating water buybacks and building more dams and water infrastructure.  

The Nationals have been on the same page with Mallee voters for many years. Together, we all want a strong, proud and independent Australia and The Nationals have the track record in government to deliver.

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