One Nation’s rookie MP David Farley has blamed his political inexperience for mistakenly voting in support of winding back fuel tax credits, which drew condemnation from miners. the Coalition.
Farley sided with the Greens. teal independents in a lower house vote to cap the scheme, which refunds miners, farmers and other industries that use heavy machinery the 52.6c a litre excise applied to petrol and diesel.
The amendment – which was moved by the Bradfield MP, Nicolette Boele on Tuesday afternoon– was defeated after Labor. the Coalition rejected it.
Farley’s stance endorsed a position that the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA). National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) have labelled an attack on farmers, miners and truck drivers – constituencies One Nation claims to represent.
In a statement reported by the Nine Papers on Wednesday. Farley said he had asked the clerk of the house of representatives for advice about correcting the vote.
“Unfortunately. I was not able to change my votes after the fact,” said Farley, who was sworn into parliament earlier this month after winning the Farrer byelection.
“I regret that I made these mistakes. They were made due to my inexperience in Parliament. Recruiting experienced staff to support my work has been difficult, however I am rectifying the situation.”
Earlier on Wednesday. the MCA chief executive, Tania Constable, whose organisation this week launched a new campaign to protect the scheme from “noisy activists”, said Farley’s position on the vote was “really disappointing”.
“David Farley is a regional member. it was his first big opportunity to show what he’s made of, and he voted against regional Australia,” Constable told Sky News.
“He voted against the farmers, the fishers, the construction industry. He voted against the miners. He voted against regional Australia. we’re really deeply disappointed that he threw his lot in with the Greens and the teals.”
Farley’s vote put him in the same camp as climate campaigners, unions, rank-and-file Labor members. mining billionaire Andrew Forrest, who view the rebate scheme as a handbrake to decarbonisation and want it capped at $50m a company annually.
Farmers. other “small users” would not be captured under that model, which was replicated in Boele’s amendment, meaning Farley was not voting against those groups.
Sign up to Breaking News Australia
Get the most important news as it breaks
after newsletter promotion
The One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, earlier this month said she “had to have a conversation” with Farley about his positions after he backed current migration levels. signalled he would fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag in his office.
He later clarified on Facebook that his office would fly the Australian flag. that no flag would stand above or replace it.
Guardian Australia has been told One Nation privately assured mining bosses on Wednesday that Farley made a mistake. the party supports the existing fuel tax credit regime.
The Nationals seized on Farley’s decision to side with the Greens. teals on the fuel tax credits vote, staging a press conference with the NFF CEO, Michael Guerin, to demand clarity on One Nation’s position.
“David Farley says it’s all theatrics,” the shadow resources minister, Susan McDonald, said. “If he wants theatrics, he should join a play group. But if he is serious about being a part of the Australian parliament, of taking his job. the voters that have sent him here seriously, he has got to think about what he is doing. Is this now One Nation policy?”
Asked if Farley should be forgiven if. as a rookie MP, he simply made a mistake on the chamber floor, the Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, said: “I don’t think this is a place for training wheels.”
The shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, said Farley’s position showed One Nation was “all over the place”.
“I don’t really know where it is they stand, or who they’re fighting for,. that’s a matter for them,” he said.
Discussion
Sign in to join the thread, react, and share images.