Malcolm Turnbull dumped from new climate job

The Environment Minister has rejected Malcolm Turnbull’s claims a media “vendetta” led to the former prime minister’s dumping from a government climate board.

Environment Minister Matt Kean has directly rejected a claim by Malcolm Turnbull that he was dumped from the NSW government’s climate board as a result of a News Corp “vendetta”.

Mr Kean spoke to Mr Turnbull by phone this morning saying he would need to step aside from the role, following days of internal party concern over his public anti-coal comments.

Mr Turnbull then took to ABC radio claiming the decision was the result of a News Corp “vendetta” with a goal to “bully the state government”.

Mr Kean said this was false.

Shafted … former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: Mick Tsikas

“The decision to rescind Malcolm’s appointment as chair of the net zero board was entirely mine as I did not want Malcolm’s big personality to distract from the important work the government needs to do to secure mining jobs and to create new industries,” Mr Kean said.

He expressly rejected Mr Turnbull’s public claim that News Corp had “bullied” the government to back down on the appointment.

“This morning’s decision is mine and has nothing to do with News Corp,” Mr Kean said.

“I appointed Malcolm because he was extremely well qualified and someone I respect enormously.

“However he can at times be seen as a divisive figure and these issues really need people who can bring the community with us.

“If you can’t bring everyone together on this issue you can’t win.”

The appointment was the subject of internal Liberal party room angst, including one backbencher Lee Evans taking the rare step of speaking out publicly against the appointment.

Senior Ministers had deep concerns about the impact of the appointment on the Upper Hunter by-election and Mr Turnbull’s anti-coal rhetoric.

In a statement, The Daily Telegraph Editor Ben English said he was “saddened to hear that Malcolm Turnbull has once again decided to blame others for his own misfortune.”

“But no matter what he thinks, the end of his short-lived chairmanship of the state’s Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy board is due entirely to his own actions – not, as he so colourfully put it, “thuggery” or the “right-wing media ecosystem”.”

Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced the change this morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Mr English said The Daily Telegraph did nothing more than cover a story of importance to the people of NSW and makes “no apologies for doing so.”

Deputy Premier John Barilaro made the decision public on Ray Hadley’s 2GB program this morning, saying he had personally given the benefit of the doubt to Mr Turnbull but “he pulled my pants down within 48 hours”.

“We are not proceeding with the appointment of Malcolm Turnbull as chair. I give credit to Matt Kean. He accepts even if you want to go down this position of Net Zero board and that target you don’t need an individual who clouds or makes controversial – you need someone who brings people together and not divide and unfortunately Malcolm has done the opposite.

“Great result for common sense.”

Mr Barilaro said he regretted staying silent on the Turnbull appointment but that they had now corrected the matter.

“For someone to be appointed in a government role and to not understand the passion and the political position of the government then itself shows they are pig-headed and they aren’t interested in what is right and good for the economy,” he said.

One Nation NSW Leader Mark Latham said removing Turnbull from the post was “the right decision for jobs in the region”.

“He never should have had the job,” Mr Latham said.

“This is the shortest political posting since Mal Meninga.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian showered words of praise on Mr Turnbull hours after the decision to remove him as chair.

Matt Kean made the appointment last week. Picture: Peter Lorimer

“At the end of the day a decision was made but what I want to do today is thank Malcolm for his contribution to Australia, his contribution to public life and all that he has to offer. I’m someone who is incredibly fond of him,” she said.

“I accept what Minister Kean said in his statement and that is, unfortunately, for everyone involved it (his appointment) was proving to be a distraction.”

Ms Berejiklian did not answer if she had asked Minister Kean to remove Mr Turnbull from his new role.

“Malcolm Turnbull deserves our collective respect. I admire him greatly,” she said.

The Premier also assured the people of the Hunter Region that creating and saving jobs in the area is her priority but that employment can coexist with a clean energy future.

“Many communities have traditional energy based jobs and also new jobs.”

Mr Kean said the new chair of the board would be announced in due course. Until then, the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer will act in the role.

“The purpose of the Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board is to create jobs in low carbon industries and see the State reduce its emissions in ways that grow the economy,” Mr Kean said.

The announcement comes hours after The Daily Telegraph revealed Malcolm Turnbull wrote directly to the NSW government objecting to the expansion of a coal mine in the Upper Hunter citing his family’s nearby 2700 acre grazing property among reasons for his concern.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH EDITOR BEN ENGLISH

The Daily Telegraph is saddened to hear that Malcolm Turnbull has once again decided to blame others for his own misfortune.

But no matter what he thinks, the end of his short-lived chairmanship of the state’s Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy board is due entirely to his own actions – not, as he so colourfully put it, “thuggery” or the “right-wing media ecosystem”.

It is disappointing that Mr Turnbull would make such attacks. In lashing out as he has done Mr Turnbull attacked not only The Daily Telegraph or News Corp but the free press that is a pillar of our free society.

The Daily Telegraph has done nothing more than cover a story of importance to everyone who lives in NSW.

We make no apologies for doing so, and we have sought to do so with the utmost of transparency – including publishing the full text of our questions to Mr Turnbull as well as his responses on our website.

The fact is, the appointment of anyone to this critical position was going to be news.

With the sudden unexpected advent of a by-election in the state’s coalmining heartland, the story became even more important, adding a further element to an already complex story about balancing jobs and the economy and the environment.

We have no illusions that these are challenging times and the government has a huge responsibility to help the state navigate a transition away from coal and fossil fuels. And it is only right that we ask questions about the person appointed to have so much input to that process.

As the major metropolitan newspaper in NSW, it is imperative that we interrogate these issues.

This is nothing personal, even if Mr Turnbull would like to claim it is.

But to be clear, The Daily Telegraph thinks that as a former prime minister Mr Turnbull has a lot to offer the country and a significant role to play in public life.

We hope he finds a role that is both suitable and in the best interests of the state and the nation.