WATCHING from her lounge room 400 kilometres away, Indi MP Helen Haines had a significant win on climate change legislation in Canberra on Thursday.
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A COVID diagnosis meant Dr Haines could not be in parliament, but four amendments she devised were put up by fellow cross bencher Rebekha Sharkie and included in the government's climate bill which passed the Lower House.
They centre on consideration being given to regional Australia as part of the climate bill which locks in a 43 per cent emissions cut by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
The Climate Change Authority will need to ensure measures to tackle temperature differences boost economic, employment and social benefits outside capital cities and its board will need to have membership with regional development experience.
The relevant minister reporting to parliament will have to specifically state the economic, social and jobs benefits of emissions reductions policies.
Dr Haines said the amendments, which are recorded under her name, were the most significant she had made and followed a meeting with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen last week.
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"It gives me enormous encouragement that I can do do good work with this government," Dr Haines said.
The bill with her amendments passed the House of Representatives 89-55 with nearly all Opposition MPs opposing it.
"Remarkably we saw the Coalition and in particular the National Party members vote against them, which kind of beggars belief," Dr Haines said.
"I think any rural and regional Australians that have a National Party member representing them should be disappointed."
However, Wodonga-based Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie tweeted on Thursday "I will be pushing for regular independent reviews into the social and economic impacts on regional communities and industries once the bill comes to the Senate and has finished going through an inquiry".
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