Refuting Coalition claims on their climate policies – a guide

Many people are now writing to their local MPs demanding climate action. Coalition MPs are responding with claims of what they are doing. Here we make suggestions on how to challenge these responses – or much better, to use when talking with friends and family, who may be swayed by Coalition rhetoric.

This upsurge in climate concern is great. But please don’t just write letters to politicians. We suggest people join a local group. There are lots of groups working on various aspects of climate change. Contact us if you would like some suggestions.

The Coalition quotes below are from a letter sent to a constituent by a Coalition MP.

Read the story from Climate Action Moreland - “Refuting Coalition claims on their climate policies – a guide.”

Turnbull says climate change has become a 'third rail' for Liberal party

The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says a “constituency” of Coalition MPs believes climate change is a fraud, and that the issue has become a “third rail” for the Liberal party.

 Malcolm Turnbull: ‘The Liberal Party and the Coalition
is not capable of dealing with climate change.’ 

Speaking at the Australia Bar Association’s annual conference in Sydney on Friday night, Turnbull, the guest of honour at the event, said a climate-sceptic group within his own party held the line that “if you don’t do what we want, we will blow the show up,” the Australian reported.

“And that is essentially what you’ve seen — and so the problem is that everybody loses”.

Turnbull, who was replaced as prime minister by Scott Morrison in August and subsequently retired from politics, was asked at the event about his personal commitment to act on climate change. He famously crossed the floor in opposition to vote with Labor in support of an emissions trading scheme, but as prime minister led a government with little resolve to reduce emissions.

Read the story from The Guardian - “Turnbull says climate change has become a 'third rail' for Liberal party.”

Scott Morrison blasts coal rebels, says new coal power twice as expensive

Treasurer Scott Morrison has blasted a call by Coalition MPs for the government to build a coal-fired power station, saying it would not provide cheap electricity as claimed, but power that could be twice as expensive.

Scott Morrison has blasted a call by Coalition MPs for the
government to build a coal fired power station, saying it
 would not provide cheap electricity. 

With a ginger group of Liberal and Nationals MPs called the Monash Forum demanding the government invest up to $4 billion to build a High Efficiency, Low Emissions (HELE) coal-fired plant in Victoria, Mr Morrison said such a project would take many years to build and the electricity it produced would be far more expensive than that being generated by existing coal-fired power stations.

"There's a difference between old coal and new coal. Old coal bids into the energy grid at about $30 a megawatt hour, it could be up to $40,' he told The Australian Financial Review Banking & Wealth Summit.

Read the story from The Financial Review by Phillip Coorey - “Scott Morrison blasts coal rebels, says new coal power twice as expensive.”

Coalition MPs in push to nationalise Liddell coal-fired power station

A group of Coalition MPs are so intent on propping up AGL's ailing Liddell power station they are calling on the Turnbull government to forcibly acquire the coal-fired power plant.

"If we need legislation then we should consider
 that": Nationals MP George Christensen.

But Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg all but ruled out the idea on Thursday, insisting the federal government was not going to start nationalising assets.

The charge for intervention is being led by Nationals MP George Christensen, but other MPs are said to have a degree of support for the idea, including former prime minister Tony Abbott and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.

Mr Christensen told Fairfax Media a compulsory land acquisition would mean the government could run Liddell itself or, if necessary, sell it to interested Chinese giant Shandong Ruyi.

Read Michael Koziol’s story from The Age - “Coalition MPs in push to nationalise Liddell coal-fired power station.”