Regions Forgotten in Sydney Focused Net Zero Fight

“It is extraordinary just days before the election, the state Minister for Agriculture has claimed his government has no emissions reduction mandate, given his cabinet colleague Matt Kean committed the government to a reckless 70 per cent cut in 2022, which will cost jobs,” said Daniel Wild, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs.

Today, ABC Western Plains reported Nationals Minister for Agriculture and Member for Dubbo, Dugald Saunders, claimed his “government had no mandates on emissions reductions.” Yet, in December 2022, State Liberal Treasurer Matt Kean committed the state to cutting 70% of emissions by 2035 and to net zero emissions by 2050.

“It is no wonder that communities in regional New South Wales feel left behind. It seems the State Government is telling one story to Sydneysiders, while at the same time pulling the wool over the eyes of regional communities,” said Mr Wild.

Recently released IPA research established that due to the reckless emissions reduction policies of both the State Government and the Opposition, over 138,000 jobs will be put at risk, with over two-thirds of those jobs coming from regional parts of the state.

Mr Saunders also claimed on ABC Western Plains that in the regions “we’re not losing jobs.” This is false.

“According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data, regional New South Wales is haemorrhaging jobs under net zero policies, with some 16,500 jobs in the state’s agriculture sector destroyed over the past decade alone,” said Mr Wild.

“Previous IPA research has also identified that over the past decade in Australia, for every one job created in the renewables sector, five jobs have been destroyed in the manufacturing sector.”

Recently released IPA polling data found 72% of respondents agreed with the proposition that “city-based members of parliament take regional New South Wales for granted.”

“There is real anger in the regions, where residents believe that leaders are focused only on Sydney and not on their communities, which will be affected most by these reckless emissions reduction policies,” said Mr Wild.

To download the IPA’s An Analysis of the employment consequences of a net zero emissions target in New South Wales research report click here.