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Business leaders attacked over climate lobby

Matt Canavan has accused company bosses vocal about climate change of acting in self-interest ‘rather than saving the planet’.

Nationals senator Matt Canavan. Picture: AAP
Nationals senator Matt Canavan. Picture: AAP

Nationals senator Matt Canavan has accused company bosses vocal about climate change of acting in self-interest “rather than saving the planet”.

His comments came after a UN-backed group warned that businesses would lose customers and revenue if they were not outspoken on the issue. The pro-coal Queenslander ­accused Global Compact Network Australia of being bullies for telling business leaders they would suffer “reputational damage” unless they became climate change activists.

Senator Canavan, the former resources minister who quit the frontbench to support Barnaby Joyce in a leadership challenge against Nationals leader Michael McCormack this month, said a ­report by the lobby telling businesses it was in their self-interest to be vocal on social issues, showed company activism was not done for altruistic reasons.

“Statements like this unfortunately call into question whether business calls for climate action are more about their own interest rather than saving the planet,” Senator Canavan said.

“These activists are bullies, pure and simple. Their ‘offer-you-can’t-refuse’ approach needs to be fought back against.

“The way to deal with bullies is to confront them and forcefully stand up for the morality of our farming, mining and manufacturing industries. Our resources have helped millions emerge from poverty and long may we continue to help those poorer than us.”

The UN-backed network ­released a report on Monday ­declaring that staying silent on climate change and human rights was “not an option for CEOs”.

“Their silence will likely lead to reputation damage, loss of customers and long-term decline in revenue,” the report said.

Mr Joyce, a former Nationals leader, attacked big businesses who were calling for greater government action on climate change.

“A lot of people who you hear talk about their purity and trying to change the climate not only from Canberra but from their boardroom are doing it without actually having to pay the price themselves,” Mr Joyce said.

“It is all very well for banks to say that because banks don’t work in coalmines and don’t have to ­actually bring home the dollars that pay for the house and pay for the kids and pay for the car.

“It is all very well for Qantas to say that, but are Qantas actually going to take their planes out of the air? Maybe that will show real ownership of their position.”

When asked about BHP planning to exit thermal coal, Mr Joyce said: “If they believe it is so immoral in the future then why is it moral now. It is ridiculous.”

Liberal MP Craig Kelly agreed business leaders needed to be vocal, but only if they were sticking up for their respective industries, which stood to lose profits under Labor’s proposed zero net emissions target by 2050.

“These companies have to be very careful because it’s easy for a CEO to engage in short-term virtue signalling but then set their business up for a long-term damage,” Mr Kelly said.

“CEOs need to start standing up for their industries and make the case that under current technologies, there’s no way they can continue to perform in the long term for their shareholders if subject to zero net emissions by 2050.”

Sydney MP Dave Sharma said the government had to govern for all Australians during this ­energy transition, which included a “broader range of considerations than just business interests”.

Read related topics:Climate Change

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/business-leaders-attacked-over-climate-lobby/news-story/99fd1ef556b53119075fa571c49d2f38