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Jacqui Lambie slams Barnaby Joyce for ‘selling his support for cash’ in Net Zero deal

Helena BurkeNCA NewsWire
Senator Lambie said Barnaby Joyce was selling his support for cash. Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire
Camera IconSenator Lambie said Barnaby Joyce was selling his support for cash. Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia

Outspoken Senator Jacqui Lambie has come out guns blazing at Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce for dragging his feet on the Net Zero negotiations.

Senator Lambie told the Today Show on Thursday that it was disgraceful for Mr Joyce to use up taxpayer dollars taking his time to decide whether climate change was worth taking seriously.

“I’m very surprised that they have had all this time to work out a deal and they are still saying at 20 minutes to midnight – ‘Hey, we have to work this climate change thing out,’” Senator Lambie said.

“This is a whole embarrassment for the country. People are just laughing at us.”

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Following weeks of tense negotiations within the Coalition, the Nationals party is expected to announced their final position on the Net Zero target to Scott Morrison today.

The Nationals are expected to receive billions of dollars from the Liberal government in return for agreeing to the deal.

But Senator Lambie slammed Mr Joyce for the move, accusing him of trying to buy votes from regional Australia.

Jacqui Lambie. Picture: Today Show.
Camera IconSenator Jacqui Lambie said the Nationals refusal to take climate change seriously was an ‘embarrassment for the country’. Today Show Credit: Supplied

“He’s selling his support for cash. They want billions of dollars,” she said.

“If that’s not paying for your vote, I don’t know what is.”

Mr Joyce has denied the Nationals are demanding money in return for the deal, telling his party room on Monday “It’s not a case of holding anyone to ransom.”

But Senator Lambie maintained it was ridiculous that one of the most powerful political parties in the country was still debating something as scientifically-proven as climate change.

BARNABY JOYCE PRESSER
Camera IconNationals leader Barnaby Joyce has denied his party is selling its support for cash. Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia

“We already know that climate change is happening and the fossil fuels need to be reduced, and throwing billions of dollars out there without fixing that is not going to fix anything,” she said.

“We need to get back to the basics – What is the best for this country.”

Originally published as Jacqui Lambie slams Barnaby Joyce for ‘selling his support for cash’ in Net Zero deal

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