Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says a new rail line from Toowoomba to Gladstone would deliver big gains to the bush.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen.
Mr Joyce told the Press Club he is prepared to cut a deal to support a net zero target “if people come up with something that is a logical efficiency of the economy - for instance ... the Inland Rail”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signalled his desire to commit to reaching net zero emissions by 2050,but Nationals MPs,including Mr Joyce,sayrural communities have already suffered economic loss from Australia’s commitment to the Kyoto climate pact and they will make sure that doesn’t happen again.
“Regional Australia met those commitments. We paid for them by the divestment of our property rights,” Mr Joyce said.
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When asked how likely a deal was on net zero,the Nationals Leader said:“In any deal,I don’t start by saying what I think it’s worth. I start by saying how much do you want it?”
“We’re making sure that what is suggested this time is something where urban Australia pays the price like regional Australia did,” he said.
Construction has begun on the 1700-kilometre Inland Rail line,which will run from Melbourne through central Victoria,inland NSW and into Toowoomba. However,the final route through Brisbane to the port is yet to be finalised or funded.