Malcolm Turnbull claims ScoMo is quiet on climate change because he wants to keep job

Malcolm Turnbull claims there’s one reason Scott Morrison is failing to act on climate change, as he lashed out at some former parliamentary colleagues.

Malcolm Turnbull claims Scott Morrison is failing to act on climate change because he wants to hang onto his job.

The former prime minister was scathing of his former parliamentary colleagues on Tuesday, lashing out at members of the far right for their “genuinely crazy and dangerously so” beliefs.

Mr Turnbull said Mr Morrison was not a climate denier, rather he liked leading Australia and wanted to stay there.

“Ultimately Morrison is in the position where he doesn’t want to get torn down by the right like I was,” he told the Getup webinar.

“He knows this is like a third rail.”

Mr Turnbull said Mr Morrison was trying not to rile those members of his party, particularly those from Queensland’s LNP.

“He does not want to have them turn on him,” he said.

Malcolm Turnbull says Prime Minister Scott Morrison is not a climate denier. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Matray

Australia’s 29th prime minister doubled down on the Morrison Government, by instead praising the states and territories on both sides of the aisle for acting to cut emissions.

“The federal government has abandoned any efforts to lead on energy,” he said, adding it was largely due to the fact the right had turned a discussion about physics into an ideological one.

But Mr Turnbull, who has been vocal on climate change for several years, said deniers could no longer hide behind high prices and job losses.

“We can have cheap electricity, cheaper than ever, with zero emissions,” he said.

“It literally is one of those very few times in life where you can have your cake and eat it too.”

Originally published as Malcolm Turnbull claims ScoMo is quiet on climate change because he wants to keep job