Despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s best efforts, Australia has a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions in 31 years’ time. His suggestions that Labor’s renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030 is an economic “wrecking ball” is as pointless and wrong as his claims that pursuing a budget surplus when the economy is stagnating is good for “jobs and growth”.

Whether the Prime Minister likes it or not the Liberal premiers of NSW, South Australia and Tasmania have joined with the Labor leaders in the other states and territories in declaring that their jurisdictions will contribute no greenhouse gases to the world’s atmosphere. These promises are not contingent on what China does, what India does, or whether so-called "clean coal" is invented. No state is planning to rely on nuclear energy to meet their 2050 targets.