LABOR SHOWS TRUE COLOURS WITH GAGGING OF DEBATE

Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack has lashed out at Labor’s theatrics in Parliament last week as it gagged debate on controversial legislation and says it is indicative of its attitude towards ordinary Australians.

 “In the past few sitting weeks, Labor has shown its true colours and disdain for parliamentary scrutiny by ramming through not only the Digital ID Bill in the Senate in March but also the National Vehicle Efficiency Standard Bill in the House of Representatives last week,” Mr McCormack said.

 “What Labor doesn’t seem to realise is that the whole point of Parliament is to be a place where the public can have their voices heard via their local representatives.

 “I know many in the Riverina and Central West are rightfully concerned about what such an efficiency standard would mean for them — and it is those people who are missing out on having their opinion heard in Parliament.

 “It wasn’t only my Coalition colleagues and I who were prevented from speaking on the bill — it was also Labor members — and their constituents are just as deserving of having their voices heard.

 “Actions such as these just speak to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s entire attitude towards running the country. It’s his way or the highway and the Labor Government makes no attempt at being consultative or to hear the voices of the ordinary Australians affected by its poor policies.

 “Instead, driven purely by ideology, Labor told Australians they had to embrace its divisive Voice to Parliament — and spent $450 million of taxpayers’ money in its attempt to force them to do so.

 “With complete lack of regard to farmers, Labor has now since chosen to announce its plan to shut down Australia’s sheep export industry — simply pandering to inner-city Greens and Teals at the expense of the hard-working farmers who will be impacted by the ban.

 “And that’s not the only way Labor plans to make lives harder for farmers — it has also been pushing a Fresh Food Tax on farmers, which seeks to force Australian producers to pay a levy to fund the biosecurity protection measures of their competitor’s imports from overseas. In what world should farmers be forced to help subsidise their competition?

 “In regard to the Digital ID Bill, something I know many of my constituents are concerned about, Labor guillotined its debate in the Senate. This fear of public scrutiny by Labor undoubtedly justifies the concerns many have that such a scheme may not be appropriately managed.

 “And now, Labor doesn’t want the public to have a say on whether or not they should be coerced to buy an electric vehicle and has teamed up with the Greens to make it so.

 “It is becoming ever more clear to the Australian people we simply cannot trust Labor.

 “Only the Liberals and Nationals are advocating on behalf of everyday Australians who are struggling under Labor’s cost-of-living crisis.”

  

ENDS                  

Paul Pfitzner