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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2020/feb/24/coalition-reignites-climate-war-over-labors-emissions-policy-politics-live
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| Coalition reignites climate war over Labor's emissions policy – politics live | Coalition reignites climate war over Labor's emissions policy – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Government MPs have lashed out at Labor over its emissions target, with arguments in parliament’s corridors. All the days events, live | Government MPs have lashed out at Labor over its emissions target, with arguments in parliament’s corridors. All the days events, live |
| No target without a plan, says Angus Taylor, which you would think is actually part of the government’s job – developing plans. Given it is actually in government. | |
| “What we’re not open to, is a target, any target, which has got no plan, is uncocked and unfunded,” he says. | |
| Why would anyone invest if they don’t know what the target is, Sky News asks Taylor. | |
| So does the government have a long-term strategy or a long-term target? | |
| This debate is all happening while the market is actively moving away from thermal coal. BlackRock, one of the world’s largest fund managers, if not the largest, is moving away from coal investments. India has announced it will phase out thermal coal import from the 2023-2024. | |
| The change is coming no matter how much Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack and Angus Taylor shake their fists at clouds. | |
| The bigger question is whether Australia’s workforce is being prepared for the inevitable market change. Based on history, it doesn’t look like it. | |
| Is there a single voter who finds any of this productive? Who wants this? Who thinks, yes, that is what I want in my politicians? | |
| “Ideological path.” | |
| As expected, the government has lost its mind over Labor’s zero emissions by 2050 policy, despite major private interests, including BHP, the Business Council of Australia, as well as the UK conservatives, and practically every single state and territory in Australia already on board. | As expected, the government has lost its mind over Labor’s zero emissions by 2050 policy, despite major private interests, including BHP, the Business Council of Australia, as well as the UK conservatives, and practically every single state and territory in Australia already on board. |
| Angus Taylor says we don’t need targets. Except for the 2030 target. That’s fine. But 2050 – pffft. What the government has is a long-term strategy. See the difference? People will just get on with it, he says. It has to be “technology not taxes which lead the way”, Taylor says. Labor has ruled out a carbon tax. | |
| Stunningly though, Taylor hasn’t been the headline act today, because Barnaby Joyce is feelingly stunningly unleashed, and decided to bring his particular brand of discourse – yelling over people in hallways – to a press conference with Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon. | |
| Here’s a taster from the Barnaby Joyce school of debate: | Here’s a taster from the Barnaby Joyce school of debate: |
| It’s not just mercury which is in retrograde – Australia’s political discourse is so backwards on this topic, it’s like watching your neighbours take up the wheel and pretending you’re fine just pushing your rocks around with your back. | |
| Oh, and emissions in Australia dropped by just 0.3% in the year to September last year. | |
| NAILING IT. | NAILING IT. |
| We’ll bring you all of the latest meltdowns, as well as everything else – hey, maybe we’ll get some legislation to talk about this fortnight – with Mike Bowers, Katharine Murphy, Paul Karp and Sarah Martin at your service. | We’ll bring you all of the latest meltdowns, as well as everything else – hey, maybe we’ll get some legislation to talk about this fortnight – with Mike Bowers, Katharine Murphy, Paul Karp and Sarah Martin at your service. |
| I’ve had about a third of a coffee. Blessed be. | I’ve had about a third of a coffee. Blessed be. |
| Ready? | Ready? |
| Let’s get into it. |