MEDIA RELEASE – ALBANESE MUST RULE OUT NATURE POSITIVE LAWS

Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia

10 JANUARY 2025

ALBANESE MUST RULE OUT NATURE POSITIVE LAWS

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese must kill off once and for all, his government’s damaging Nature Positive laws.

An ironclad guarantee on the issue is of vital importance to Western Australia and the revenue cash cow that is our world leading mining and resources industry.

Shadow Attorney-General Senator Michaelia Cash said while a deal with the Greens over the Nature Positive laws was torpedoed at the last minute in November 2024 Mr Albanese had made it very clear the legislation was still on the table.

“It is very clear that despite what happened late last year the Albanese government wants to introduce these nature positive laws which will be a disaster for Western Australia,’’ Senator Cash said.

Senator Cash said the mining industry had made it very clear that these laws, whether they contain a climate trigger or not, will be a major blow to WA’s economy.

“This legislation will mean delays and cost blow outs for major mining projects across Australia but particularly here in Western Australia,’’ Senator Cash said.

“Mr Albanese has been warned that these laws are bad for Western Australia’s mining sector but his government just won’t drop them,’’ she said.

“If a Labor-Greens alliance government is elected in 2025 we expect they will bring back a super charged version of the environmental protection bill which will cripple mining in Western Australia,’’ Senator Cash said.

“The Prime Minister should promise that no version of these laws will be re-introduced by his government in the future,’’ she said.

“Mr Albanese is very good at pretending he supports Western Australia and our mining sector but that is all just an act,’’ she said.

“Until he unequivocally rules out imposts on our mining sector Western Australian voters should be very sceptical about what Mr Albanese says,’’ Senator Cash said.

ENDS