Julie Bishop ‘understands’ fury at Barack Obama climate swipe

JULIE Bishop has publicly backed Queensland government fury and concerns over Barack Obama’s speech on climate at the G20.

Julie Bishop sits next to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the UN in New York.

JULIE Bishop has publicly backed Queensland government fury and concerns over Barack Obama’s speech on Saturday, in which he queried the management of the Great Barrier Reef and called for the “leapfrogging” of coal in developing economies.

The Foreign Minister, speaking to the ABC’s 7.30 from New York last night, said “there was an issue” with the US President’s speech and she understood the Queensland government’s concerns.

At the University of Queensland, Mr Obama roused students with a call for all nations to “step up” on climate change and said he wanted the Barrier Reef to be around in 50 years’ time.

On Tuesday, The Australian revealed that the Queensland government was considering a formal complaint to the US over what it saw as an insulting and provocative speech that was based on “misinformation”.

It is understood that US offic­ials contacted the Queensland government after the revelation in The Australian.

The Queensland government, in charge of a coal-exporting state, was further incensed when Mr Obama, unpopular in US coal-producing states, criticised coal as an energy source.

The Newman government had “bent over backwards” to help Mr Obama with a venue for his speech and then felt he had ­insulted his hosts.

Last night, Ms Bishop, who is in New York for Australia’s chairmanship of the UN Security Council, told the ABC that “there was an issue regarding (Mr Obama’s) statement” and she could “understand the Queensland government’s concern”.

Mr Obama said on Saturday: “Here, a climate that increases in temperature will mean more ­extreme and frequent storms, more flooding, rising seas that submerge Pacific islands ... The incredi­ble natural glory of the Great Barrier Reef is threatened.”

Ms Bishop said: “We are demon­strating world’s-best practice in working with the World Heritage Committee to ensure that the Great Barrier Reef is preserved for generations to come.

“I think President Obama might have overlooked that ­aspect of our commitment.”

Mr Obama said there should be support for the Green Climate Fund, to which he pledged $3 billion, to help developing countries “leapfrog some of the dirty industries that powered our development; go straight to a clean-energy economy that allows them to grow, create jobs, and at the same time reduce their carbon pollution”.

On Sunday, Mr Newman said that he was not about to “criticise our guest” but added that Mr Obama had relied on misinformation and he would tell US officials about what was “actually going on with the reef”.

Although the Queensland government considered a formal complaint, it has now decided that any complaints will be delivered ­informally.