June 14, 2021
Member for Maranoa David Littleproud has called on Australians to stop their “self-loathing” about the country’s record on climate action, telling critics to “take a running jump”.
Speaking on Channel 9’s Today show on Monday morning, the Federal Agriculture Minister said Australia had made a commitment at the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference.
“We’re not just going to meet it, we’re going to beat it,” Minister Littleproud said.
“We keep on belting ourselves up in this country for some reason that’s beyond me.”
Mr Littleproud’s comment follow claims by the Labor Party that Australia has been left “isolated” at this week’s G7 conference in Cornwall.
The G7 consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said these major powers had committed to net-zero emissions by 2050.
A communique issued after the summit stated:
“(We have agreed to) protect our planet by supporting a green revolution that creates jobs, cuts emissions and seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees. We commit to net zero no later than 2050, halving our collective emissions over the two decades to 2030 (ie. relative to 2010), increasing and improving climate finance to 2025; and to conserve or protect at least 30 per cent of our land and oceans by 2030. We acknowledge our duty to safeguard the planet for future generations.”
Australia had observer status at the G7 summit and, as such, was not a signatory to the communique.
“If we make a commitment to 2050 we want to look everyone in the eye and say we can make it and how we get there,” Mr Littleproud said.
“Of the 130 countries that have committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, only 14 can tell us how to get there.
“So it’s nothing more than platitudes at the moment.
“Australia is a fair dinkum country about this. We’ve got a proud record.
“This self-loathing from the Left and everyone who has a crack at us should stop belting their own citizens up.
“We’ve done a lot of the heavy-lifting. We’ve lived up to international commitments and we are a good global citizen.
“Any anyone who says otherwise should take a running jump.”
Mr Littleproud’s latest outpouring is little more than ideologically-driven twaddle to excuse the Federal Government’s abject failure in energy policy. What we really need are solutions about how we can get to net zero by 2050 without destroying the economy.
We do not need ideologues of any political persuasion in any of our local, State or Federal governments. What we do need are people who can genuinely think through to the answers, then lead us to where the majority want to go. And that’s not down a coal mine or a gas well.