Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he won’t reveal the Coalition’s alternative emissions target for 2030 before the next federal election after announcing he would axe Labor’s goal if he wins government.
The Albanese government has slammed the decision to end Labor’s legislated emissions reduction by 43 per cent by 2030, saying it would effectively pull Australia out of the global Paris climate agreement.
“We’re not going to do things that hurt Australians. The Labor Party can try and please people in Paris, my job is to take care of the Australian people,” Mr Dutton told reporters on Tuesday.
“We’re looking at the prevailing economic conditions after the next election and we’ll make announcements.”
Mr Dutton said he remained committed to net zero by 2050 and the Paris agreement.
The Paris Agreement, a global climate pact signed by nearly 200 countries in 2015, requires its signatories to commit to reducing the rise in the earth’s average global temperatures to “well below” 2 degrees.
Independent MPs have joined the Albanese government, calling Mr Dutton’s decision as “irresponsible” and “destructive”.
Meanwhile, senior Nationals MPs called for Australia to withdraw its support for the Paris climate agreement.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan joined party colleagues to call on Australia to abandon its support for the global climate pact on Tuesday.
Sydney-based independent Sophie Scamps said Mr Dutton’s vow shows the Coalition had “given up” on efforts to reclaim inner city seats.
“We know from listening to people (that) people felt very strongly that we needed good action on climate change and strong leadership,” Ms Scamps said.
“This is a wedge I think to try and win the outer, urban and other seats but I think they have abandoned these inner-city seats.”
Mr Dutton said he remained committed to net zero by 2050 and said his focus ahead of on the election would be on the cost of living, which critically included energy policy.
“(The next election) will be about who you trust to manage the economy and to deal with the cost of living crisis that Labor’s created,” Mr Dutton said on Tuesday.
“I want to be a prime minister who works hard day and night to bring electricity prices down because I know that families can’t afford the reckless increases that we see under (Labor).”
Liberal MP Andrew Bragg said the Coalition had no plans to exit the Paris agreement and described comments from the Nationals MPs as “noise.”
Senator Canavan called the global treaty “ridiculous facade” and claimed no other country had taken it seriously except Australia.
“We are out of step here with the rest of the world and that’s why our economy is weakening,” Senator Canavan said on Tuesday.
Climate Minister Chris Bowen said Australia was on track to meet its Paris agreement target, despite a raft of Coalition MPs declaring the 43 emissions cut would be unreachable.
“Last December, I released the lowest forecasts, which as you said, shows 42 per cent which is very much within striking distance of 43 per cent,” he told ABC.
“We have more to do, we have the capacity investment scheme which we’re rolling out. That is the biggest investment in renewable energy in Australian history.”