Not all Liberal MPs are happy campers about Dutton's climate comments

Peter Dutton is being criticised by some within his own party over his latest vow to water down Australia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Opposition Leader has described Labor’s legislated emissions reduction target of 43 per cent by 2030 as unachievable and said the Coalition won’t set targets until after the next election.

“In terms of the targets or otherwise, we’ll make those decisions when we’re in government,” Mr Dutton said.

“We’ll look at the prevailing economic conditions after the next election, and we’ll make announcements in due course.”

In a subsequent interview, he added that he remained on board for the target of net zero by 2050 and that the Paris Agreement would stay under a government he led.

He would even have some yet-to-be-revealed 2030 target, he said.

But right now, he was more concerned about Australia’s economy.

“We’ve got a strong commitment to net zero by 2050, but we’ve got to be realistic about where families are at the moment,” Mr Dutton said.

“The amount of hurt and pain that people are feeling in their own budgets, the number of business failures and an economy which has really tightened dramatically … When the Prime Minister made the commitment of 43 per cent, the economy wasn’t in the state that it is now … When he talks about signing up to international agreements – I know he likes to rub shoulders with all the international leaders and be popular within that group – but his first responsibility is to take care of Australians, and I think he’s taken his eye off that ball.”

Anthony Albanese immediately jumped on Mr Dutton’s earlier remarks and called the Opposition Leader divisive.

“The Coalition are divided and there’s no detail about what they would pursue,” the Prime Minister said.

“They’re the three D’s of the Coalition – divisive, divided, detail, which gives them a big F for fail when it comes to climate policy.

“So, instead of chasing investment in new industries with new opportunities and new jobs, he’s chasing them away.

“No action until 2040 means energy shortfalls, it means higher costs and it’s something that Australia should not pursue.

“The Coalition had 22 different energy policies when they were in government and didn’t land one of them.”

It seems some in Mr Dutton’s own team agree with the PM.

Liberal MP Bridget Archer has publicly talked down her leader’s comments.

She said if the 2030 target were weakened, it would be a regressive step, but regardless, the Coalition should put its alternative plan to the electorate before the campaign began.

“The current targets are already legislated. They are the targets,” Ms Archer told the ABC.

“If we were planning to change that, I think it would be reasonable to put it to the Australian people at an election.

“Of course, I also think it would be a regressive step.”

But while Ms Archer appears to be the only Coalition backbencher willing to state her concerns publicly – as she has on a number of occasions over climate change, even crossing the floor on the issue two years ago – others in Liberal ranks are privately asking what their leader is up to.

Region canvassed a small number of Federal Liberal Party members on Wednesday (12 June), with some expressing alarm at the Opposition Leader’s comments.

No one else, however, was willing to comment on the record.

Others expressed “absolute support” for Mr Dutton’s remarks and intentions.

The Climate Change Authority released information in December, projecting Australia to be on track for a 42 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 – one percentage point lower than the target.

The Prime Minister noted that since releasing that information, Australia has likely moved closer to being on track to meet the 2030 target.

“Since then, we’ve had production tax credits for critical minerals and green hydrogen. We, of course, will continue to look towards policies that make a difference, that make sense for our economy, but also make sense for our environment,” he said.

“For Peter Dutton to walk away from any 2030 commitment, to be clear, is walking away from the Paris Agreement.”