‘Climate Cult Will Be Discredited’: Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott

The Chevrolet Bolt EV is pictured at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, on November 16, 2016. Mike Blake/Reuters

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the climate change movement will eventually be discredited and that reaching net zero by 2050 was irrational.

Mr. Abbott took part in the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in London, which was also attended by former Prime Ministers John Howard and Scott Morrison.

Their participation formed part of a wider contingent of Australian centre-right MPs from the Liberal-National Coalition including Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie, James Paterson, Jacinta Price, Matt Canavan, and Barnaby Joyce.

Mr. Abbott, speaking on the sidelines of the conference at an event for the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), the former prime minister said achieving net zero by 2050 was not just “utterly irrational, but actually impossible.”

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott addresses the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 18, 2014. Mark Nolan/Getty Images

“The climate cult will eventually be discredited, I just hope we don’t have to endure energy catas­trophe before that happens,” Mr. Abbott said in quotes cited in News Corp. publications.

“The anthropogenic global warming thesis, at least in its more extreme forms, is both ahistorical and utterly implausible.”

Australian Labor Government Intent on Net Zero

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Nov. 2 said “net zero” was a major policy focus of the Labor Cabinet during a keynote address to the Economic and Social Outlook Conference in Melbourne.

He said “further action” was required to meet the targets.

“To get to net zero we have to deliver five major transmission projects by 2030,” Mr. Chalmers said. “And expand the National Electricity Market’s current storage capacity to more than ten times its current size by 2050.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers during the Budget lockup at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 09, 2023 . Martin Ollman/Getty Images

Meanwhile, the IPA launched its new report, Energy Security is National Security, at the event in London, where Mr. Abbott continued calling for Australia to develop “fossil fuel resources.”

“We aren’t just impoverishing ourselves but also letting down our allies, like Japan, if we don’t keep developing our fossil fuel resources,” Mr. Abbott said at the launch.

Scott Hargreaves, executive director of the IPA, said Australia’s energy policy had become less stable.

“Both will remain relevant, but Australia and the energy system will only survive if we put energy security first,” he said.

John Howard Speaks in London

Meanwhile, fellow former Prime Minister John Howard shared his views on multiculturalism during a session at the conference.

Mr. Howard, who served as prime minister from 1996 to 2007, said he had always struggled with the concept.

“I think one of the problems with multiculturalism is we tried too hard to institutionalise difference, rather than celebrate what we have in common,” Mr. Howard said.

“I take the view that if people want to emigrate to a country, it’s on the basis that they adopt the values, and the practices and the standards of that country, and in return, they are entitled to have the host citizenry respect their culture without trying to create some kind of federation of tribes and cultures. You get into terrible trouble with that.”

Former Prime Ministers Scott Morrison (C) with Tony Abbott and John Howard (R) after leaving the Senate at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 2, 2019. Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

Shadow Treasurer Says a Strong Economy Can Defeat Division

Coalition Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor spoke about the “latest political earthquake in Australia”—The Voice referendum to change the country’s Constitution.

He said the referendum highlighted how universities and their metropolitan alumni had vastly different values, objectives, and beliefs from the rest of the country.

“With the support of a small, committed group of campaign leaders—many of whom are here this week—suburban and regional Australia said No and the proposal failed,” Mr. Taylor said.

“Every state said No. Towns like Nimmitabel voted almost 80 percent against The Voice. By contrast, our elite metropolitan centres voted a strong Yes.”

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor speaks to the media during a press conference in Sydney, Australia, on July 4, 2023. AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

The Indigenous Voice to Parliament proposed to change the Constitution to embed a near-permanent advisory body into Parliament that would have authority to “make representations” on all matters deemed relevant to Indigenous Australians.

The referendum failed with 60 percent of the country voting No, with voters in all states and jurisdictions rejecting the proposal bar one—the Australian Capital Territory.

Incidentally, the strongest votes in support of The Voice came from Australia’s inner city electorates with Melbourne returning the highest Yes vote in the country at 77.2 percent.

Looking ahead, Mr. Taylor outlined a vision for supporting small business, and work over welfare.

He said government spending needed to be contained and said issues like reliable affordable energy, critical infrastructure, accessible home ownership, and better education needed to be delivered.

“The solutions to the economic challenges we face are equally helpful to combat the cultural politics that are dividing our cities from our regions,” Mr. Taylor said.