One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has criticised the High Court decision rejecting the expansion of the Mount Pleasant mine, arguing that activists should not celebrate a ruling that could reduce public revenue.
The court rejected the expansion after emissions from burning the coal, including overseas, were not considered in the decision-making process.
Mr Joyce said those welcoming the ruling should also explain how lost income would be replaced.
“If you’re going to celebrate stopping our nation earning money and the state earning money, then it has to be authentic, you should start suggesting ways that we no longer spend money,” he said.
“Do you want to cut money from the NDIS, or do you want to cut money from public hospitals? Do you want to cut money from the judges’ salaries who made the decision, or do you want to cut pensions? We’ve got to be realistic on this.”
He warned that decisions which made Australia poorer would ultimately affect its ability to fund public infrastructure and social security.
“We’ll become poorer, and poorer nations cannot pay for the public infrastructure and the social security benefits that are part of the birthright of this nation,” Mr Joyce said.
He called for legislation to be changed so that Scope 3 emissions were no longer included in assessments, arguing that the loss of tax revenue would reduce future generations’ access to public services.
