David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday the Albanese government approved the Ulan thermal coalmine expansion. That's 18 million extra tonnes of coal for export, equivalent to 500 million Sydney-to-Melbourne flights. The decision comes just before the announcement of a 2035 emissions reduction target. Labor is busy destroying the prospects of a strong target. You can't claim any kind of climate leadership and continue to approve thermal coalmines.

Australians are starting to see through this failure. You just have to look at the North-West Shelf approval, which was withheld until after the election. Labor knew full well what that would mean before an election—approving one of the biggest fossil fuel projects in the country. We're seeing a disconnect on climate, on housing, on AI and on caring for nature—the environment, the places we live—and Australians are walking away from the major parties because of that.

At the last election, Independents recorded their strongest vote ever. Communities are increasingly demanding honesty, courage and real change. Communities know that the old way of doing politics is broken, that it's gotten us into an almighty mess as a country. This weekend's Community Independents Project conference is about showing what a better type of politics looks like and how it can deliver real outcomes for communities across the country, because approving more coal and gas proves one thing: the current system is failing us. Australians are taking notice. We have to start to live like we plan to be here for a long time and make decisions that are good for the young people who sit up here every day and watch us talk about issues that affect them.