FORMER Labor cabinet minister Joel Fitzgibbon has labelled climate politics “dishonest” and “delusional”, saying Australian voters were being lied to.
In a broadside speech given to The Sydney Institute on Wednesday, Mr Fitzgibbon said Labor had no business setting medium-term emissions targets.
HARM
He said his Party should, instead, “commit to whatever medium-term targets Prime Minister Scott Morrison commits the Australian people to”.
“Opposition politicians have no capacity to determine what rate of achievement is possible without doing harm to our economy and local jobs,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“This is the problem with the climate change debate; no one is being honest with the Australian people.
“That’s because honesty would come at the cost of perceived political advantage.
“I use the word ‘perceived’ advisedly, but ‘delusional’ may be more accurate.”
Mr Fitzgibbon suggested the prime minister was toying with Labor over climate change.
“Scott Morrison certainly doesn’t want to end the climate wars. They have helped the Coalition win the last three elections,” he said.
“For that reason alone, Labor should commit to whatever medium-term targets Scott Morrison commits the Australian people to.”
The former ALP resources spokesman was particularly critical of his environment portfolio colleague Mark Butler.
GREENS
Mr Butler was last week successful in re-introducing medium-term emissions targets into Labor’s proposed policy platform – as well as removing any mention of Labor’s support for the coal industry.
Mr Fitzgibbon said Mr Butler’s criticism of the Prime Minister’s climate policy was “no more believable than anything the Greens have to say on the issue, or National Party MPs for that matter”.
Mr Fitzgibbon stepped down from his resources portfolio last month after a heated falling out with Labor leader Anthony Albanese over climate policy.PC
At last an honest Labor politician – the last being Bob Hawke from memory.
It’s no surprise that Labor’s radical green liars are trying to get rid of Honest Joel.