The opposition leader has been accused of taking the coalition backwards on climate change after saying he’d leave it to experts to decide if it was fuelling natural disasters.
Climate change became a policy focus during the second leaders’ debate on Wednesday night, when Peter Dutton was pressed on whether Australia was already seeing its effects.
While Mr Dutton agreed there was an impact from climate change, he did not say whether rising temperatures were making natural disasters worse.
“I’ll let scientists and others pass that judgement,” he said.
“I can’t tell you whether the temperature has risen in (the flood-affected town of) Thargomindah as a result of climate change or that the water levels are up in Thargomindah’s latest flood as a result of climate change.”
Mr Dutton’s comments were seized upon by the prime minister, who said the science was clear on climate change and its impacts.
“Does he believe in gravity?
“What else is there that is a scientific fact that he needs assurance of or a science degree, to understand?” Mr Albanese told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday.
“I thought John Howard wasn’t great on climate change, I gotta say that, but this guy’s worse.
“Two decades later, the coalition have gone backwards from where John Howard was on climate change, just extraordinary.”
As prime minister, Mr Howard drew criticism for not signing Australia up to the Kyoto Protocol, a United Nations agreement on climate change action.
Coalition campaign spokesman James Paterson said the opposition accepted climate change science.
“We’re committed to the Paris Agreement (on emissions reductions),” he said.
“We’re committed to net zero by 2050. It’s one of the reasons why we’re spending $331 billion to transition Australia to emissions-free nuclear technology.’
“Peter accepts the science of climate change … as he said on many other occasions.”
AAP FactCheck has previously investigated claims about climate change fuelling various natural disasters, finding there was evidence to show floods and droughts were getting worse in Australia and elsewhere.
Tropical cyclones have become less frequent, but research suggests they might be becoming more severe.
Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O’Shanassy said Mr Dutton’s comments were damaging.
“It’s a serious concern that one of the candidates vying to be Australia’s prime minister is unwilling to stand up and say climate change is real, is happening and is affecting Australia,” she said.
“The next parliament is the last parliament that can get Australia’s massive contribution to climate change under control.”
Source: AAP
