Last evening in the House of Representatives, the Nationals’ showed their true colours when they voted to overturn the first recommendation of the Banking Royal Commission.
 
But it’s not too late for them to live up to the standards set by their former colleague John Wakka Williams in chamber in which he once sat.
 
They must vote in the senate against Scott Morrison’s repeal of Responsible Lending Obligations on banks, obligations that protect customers and the economy from predatory lending.
 
John Wakka Williams knew farming families need to be protecting from predatory banks, because he lost his family farm.
 
He backed the Banking Royal Commission because he knew banks needed to be called to account for their misdeeds that left hundreds of thousands of farming families with nothing.
 
And earlier this year he called for his former colleagues to vote against Josh Frydenberg’s plan to let the banks off the hook.
 
“I wouldn’t have done it if I was part of the Government. I would have pushed for the old system to stay in place.” John Wakka Williams, ABC 7:30, Feb 12 , 2021
 
Now it’s up to the Nationals in the senate, and the senate cross bench, to follow Wakka Williams’ lead, protect customers and vote against dumping Responsible Lending Obligations.
 
The Banking Royal Commission’s very first recommendation was keep Responsible Lending Obligations as a “critical legislative step” in ensuring banks deal fairly with customers.
 
Scott Morrison’s reckless plan to give banks a green light to continue with the misconduct revealed in the Banking Royal Commission must be stopped.