FEDERAL OPPOSITION LEADER PETER DUTTON IS KEEPING Australians in the dark about his risky nuclear scheme. An explosive new report from Australia’s independent Climate Change Authority reveals the Federal Coalition’s nuclear scheme would see climate pollution blow out for more than 20 years, leading to up to 2 billion tonnes of additional climate pollution by 2050. 

The Climate Council says Mr Dutton’s nuclear scheme risks locking Australia into worsening climate catastrophes, with no credible plan to cut pollution from coal, oil or gas.

Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said: “Mr Dutton knows most Australians want their government to be making progress on climate action. But modelling from the Climate Change Authority shows his nuclear scheme would massively drive up climate pollution and put Australia in breach of its own national law, and international law. Mr Dutton himself has warned that failing to meet our global climate commitments would hurt our own economy and cost Australians jobs.

“The Coalition is out of step and out of touch with the majority of everyday Australians, who overwhelmingly voted for climate action at the last election and want to ditch climate pollution for clean power.”

Climate Councillor Greg Bourne said: “The Federal Coalition has spent the past three years actively blocking policies that cut climate pollution in our electricity, industrial and transport sectors, and now they’re trying to sell an energy scheme to Aussies that could add more than two billion tonnes of pollution and blow up our targets as a credible climate policy.

“Records show the Federal Coalition voted against capping pollution from big industrial polluters. They opposed cleaner and more efficient vehicles being made available to Australians by voting against the National Vehicle Efficiency Standard. And they opposed key policies for making clean energy more accessible, affordable and reliable like the Capacity Investment Scheme. The Coalition’s policies obstruct climate progress.”

Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said: “Dutton’s risky nuclear scheme would burden our kids with more unnatural disasters, rising pollution and higher power bills. All Australians deserve a bright future. We need proven solutions like renewable power, backed by big batteries, that cut pollution now, not a reckless delay that locks us into climate catastrophe.”

MEANWHILE:

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pulled out of two Liberal Party events in Melbourne, a day after it was reported he left Queensland for a lavish fundraiser in Sydney as Cyclone Alfred approached his hometown of Brisbane.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged $1 million in recovery grants to every local council affected by Cyclone Alfred on Thursday, but stayed above the fray as his ministers lashed Dutton’s decision.

The Australian Financial Review revealed on Wednesday that Dutton had attended a party fundraiser hosted by billionaire pub-and-club boss Justin Hemmes on Tuesday, triggering criticism from senior Labor ministers who questioned Dutton’s judgment.

As the category 2 storm, which is due to make landfall either late Friday or early Saturday morning, approaches the coast, the chances of an election being called this weekend to be held on April 12 are receding, according to Labor strategists.

Dutton had been due to attend two events in Melbourne, a Liberal business network evening fundraiser on Wednesday and then a lunch with members of the Pharmacy Guild and other businesses from the health sector on Thursday.

The Wednesday evening event was to be held between 5pm and 7pm and offered a “briefing with the Hon Peter Dutton MP” for the “Australian Business Network”, which is a Liberal Party fundraising vehicle.

Labor charges up to $5000 per person for such events and up to $18,000 for a table of 10, and the federal opposition would probably charge similar amounts.

But at 1pm on Tuesday – before the Hemmes fundraiser took place – a staff member from the Liberal Party wrote to attendees that the Wednesday event had been cancelled “due to unforeseen circumstances”.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/dutton-lashed-for-leaving-queensland-ahead-of-cyclone-for-billionaire-s-fundraiser-20250306-p5lhca.html

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