Climate front and centre for Palau

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham says Australia must ‘act in concert’ with the Pacific on climate change.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong walks with Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr in the island nation’s largest city, Koror. Picture: DFAT

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham says Australia must “act in concert” with the Pacific on climate change, conceding the political war over the Coalition’s emissions policies undermined Australia’s standing in the region.

Speaking in the Pacific Island nation of Palau during a bipartisan trip with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Senator Birmingham said it was “important to listen” after election defeats, including to the nation’s regional partners.

He made the concession standing beside Senator Wong and Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr, who said the impact of climate change on his country was so serious “you might as well bomb us”.

Senator Birmingham, the Liberal Party’s most senior moderate, said the Coalition put Australia on track to meet its mandated 2030 targets, and should have considered raising those targets sooner.

“What’s clear to me from the few days that I’ve had from engagement with Pacific leaders, like President Whipps, is that it is critical for us to listen carefully and attentively to our Pacific partners, and not just to listen, but to ensure that we act in concert with them,” he said.

He said the domestic debate over climate change had made it impossible for the Coalition to sell Australia’s climate achievements “as clearly as would have been ideal for all of our relations”.

His comments come just four months after Peter Dutton dismissed the government’s move to legally enshrine a 43 per cent 2030 reduction target as “a stunt”.

Meanwhile, Mr Whipps used the joint press conference with the Australian frontbenchers on Thursday to declare his country won’t buckle under Chinese economic coercion to axe its support for Taiwan.

He also called for Taiwan to be allowed to participate in international forums, saying the democratic island’s 23 million people “need a voice”.

Mr Whipps recounted Beijing’s attempts to force Palau to dump its longtime diplomatic partner, saying China had told his country: “We can give you all the tourists you want. Just switch.”

When Palau refused, Beijing “turned off the faucet (and) played games with us”, he said.

Palau told China, “if you want to be our friend, they’re our friend also, but you’re not going to tell us we can’t be their friend”, he said.

Mr Whipps also spruiked a new air link from Brisbane to Palau via Papua New Guinea, underwritten by the Australian government, which will commence operation in February.

The country has some of the best diving in the world and needs tourists to boost its economy.

“I know (Australians) are already flooding the Cook Islands and Fiji. Just add Palau to your bucket list,” Mr Whipps said.