Climate change and energy policy ‘cost Labor three elections’: Joel Fitzgibbon

Sky News Australia

Climate change and energy policy ‘cost Labor three elections’: Joel Fitzgibbon

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Former Opposition frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon has blamed three of Labors election losses on the partys climate and energy policies a day after quitting Shadow Cabinet. Climate change and energy policy has been a difficult area of policy pronouncement for the last 12 years at least, Mr Fitzgibbon said. Arguably, it cost Kevin Rudd his job, arguably it cost Julia Gillard her job, and arguably its cost Labor three elections. Mr Fitzgibbon said many had the will to emulate Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's success in Queensland. Annastacia Palaszczuk was able to go the electorate with strong environmental credentials but also with the message that she had the back on our coal workers, our gas workers, those who work in the big manufacturing plants which themselves are tied for their income to the coal and gas sectors. Annastacia Palaszczuk demonstrated that centre-left parties can still win, and centre-left parties can walk and chew gum too, they can deliver for the aspirations of people who have a real strong focus on the environment But also she can take care, we can take care, of our traditional base, all those who put on the hi-vis every day. The Labor Party was born out of the shearing sheds of Queensland and on the wharves of Balmain. Mr Fitzgibbon said his dust-ups with Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese helped make Labor a vibrant party. It is no secret that my mate Albo and I have had some dust-ups over recent weeks and months, but I think thats a good thing, I think that makes for a vibrant party. I absolutely believe Labor can win the next election, I believe it can win under Anthony Albanese if we calibrate our language and demonstrate that we have the backs of people who we were formed to represent. I believe in action on climate change, but we also need to be talking about the aspirations of working Australian people, we need to be incentivising their opportunity to work more. The Labor Party has to rebalance, and it has to be talking about those people all the time, their aspirations, its about jobs. Read More Our Apps