Liberals speak out to back Science Minister on climate change action.

Liberal backbenchers have stepped up calls for greater action on climate change ahead of talks of new policy measures within weeks, backing a blunt warning from a senior minister to "move on" from arguments about whether global warming is real.

Liberal MPs are speaking out about the need for action on
 climate change as smoke blankets major Australian cities.

The vocal support counters a smaller group of conservatives within the Morrison government party room who oppose climate action, setting the scene for a clash over policy when Parliament resumes next month.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison pointedly backed Science Minister Karen Andrews on Wednesday after she warned that those who rejected the science on climate change were wasting time when action was needed.

Mr Morrison said Ms Andrews had "well set out" the government policy and signalled again that he would bring forward future policies to adapt to a changing climate while also doing more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the story from The Age by David Crowe - “Liberals speak out to back Science Minister on climate change action.”

Government MPs push for renewables funding to boost climate credentials

A group of Liberal backbenchers believe the government’s weak climate policies are an electoral liability and are agitating for a host of pre-election pledges including funding for renewable energy development, expansion of the hydrogen industry and helping the nation adapt to global warming.

Government backbenchers say the Coalition needs stronger
policies to convince voters it is serious about addressing climate change. 

The push follows Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s acknowledgment this month that climate change contributed to recent devastating extreme weather events, and comes as the Australian Renewable Energy Agency reveals it is fast running out of money to fund projects critical to shifting the nation to a low carbon economy.

Internal agreement on climate change policy has been the Achilles heel of the Coalition’s two terms in office and Mr Morrison has said the government will make new pledges on the issue ahead of the May election.

Read the story from The Age by Nicole Hasham and Peter Hannam - “Government MPs push for renewables funding to boost climate credentials.”