Federal government under fire for lack of modelling on net zero

The climate battle is shift into an economic debate, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying regional Australia would be “stronger” and the economy bigger under a net zero plan.

The climate battle is set to shift into a fight about the economy and jobs, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison says if Australia did not adopt net zero it would cost jobs particularly in the regions.

But the government is coming under fire for failing to release modelling behind its net zero claims, including the impact on power bills and creation of regional jobs.

Treasury officials revealed on Wednesday they had little involvement in the modelling for the plan and had not done checks on claims from external consultants that 62,000 mining and heavy industry jobs will be created.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Questions continue over what the Nationals secured in return, other than Resources Minister Keith Pitt being returned to Cabinet and a five yearly review of net zero by the Productivity Commission.

Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor has said more details will be made public as they are approved by cabinet.

LNP MPs are hopeful the net zero argument will now proceed on economic grounds, with the PM framing it as an issue of trust.

Labor are cautious as to how the issue will be seen in the regions, among a mix of other issues cropping up including push back against mandatory vaccinations.

Under the government’s net zero plan announced this week, it is forecast there will be 12,000 new mining and heavy industry jobs in Queensland, with Gladstone projected to capitalise on hydrogen, renewable and low-emissions aluminium, while Townsville would host the “world’s first green zinc facility.

Mr Morrison said regional Australia would be “stronger” and the economy bigger under a net zero commitment based on technology.

“If you don’t go down this path, you will freeze Australia out of this investment, that will cost jobs,” he said.

“If we don’t go down this path it will cost jobs, especially in rural and regional Queensland.”

But he would not say why the modelling the forecasts were based on would not be released, only that it would be “in a few weeks”, including work done by the Industry, Science, Energy and Resources Department that was supported by Treasury.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said legislating net zero was necessary to give businesses certainty.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“It was the Seinfeld policy launch. All the build up and then it was about nothing,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the National Party had fought to ensure net zero was not legislated.

“We diligently went through a full process of making sure that we went in to bat for regional Australia,” he said.

“The one thing we were looking for is making sure that there was no legislation like you (Labor) are going to bring forward, and legislate out that workers in the Hunter Valley and legislate out the workers in Central Queensland.”

Originally published as Federal government under fire for lack of modelling on net zero