Environment Minister Matt Kean ‘trying to play climate change hero’

A Nats MP has called for Matt Kean to be stripped of his portfolio following a claim over a cabinet climate split.

Environment Minister Matt Kean. Picture: News Regional Media

A NSW Nationals MP has publicly criticised the Environment Minister, Matt Kean, and called for him to be stripped of his portfolio following an interview in which he claimed federal MPs were unhappy with the Morrison government’s position on climate change.

Michael Johnsen, the NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Resources, told The Australian that Mr Kean’s portfolio should be given to a “country MP” who isn’t interested in trying to “shore up city votes”.

Upper Hunter Nationals MP Michael Johnsen.

Mr Kean, the member for Hornsby, has previously spoken of his desire to turn NSW into a leader of clean energy exports and green technology. He has also commissioned the state’s chief scientist to outline a blueprint to assist NSW with lowering emissions and adapting to climate change.

“Let’s give the portfolio to someone that actually has some experience and knows what they are talking about and has land management experience rather than a lifetime of being a political hack,” Mr Johnsen said.

“Matt Kean is trying to play the climate change hero when all he does is make political decisions based on city Left voters opinions. If we are to address climate change issues, let’s manage the land properly and have energy sources that are reliable and affordable that won’t send families and businesses broke.”

Comment is being sought from Mr Kean.

Mr Johnsen’s comments follow an interview given by Mr Kean to Sky News on Sunday night in which he said senior federal government MPs, including some in cabinet, wanted more drastic action on climate change. The remarks prompted a furore from both NSW and federal colleagues, though some senior NSW MPs defended the remarks.

“He doesn’t know what’s going on in federal cabinet,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told ABC radio. “Most of the federal cabinet wouldn’t even know who Matt Kean was.”

Mr Kean’s stance on climate policy has long been at odds with those of his coalition partners, who are less inclined to shifting towards renewable technologies and instead favour aggressive land clearing action to reduce fuel loads on forest floors.

Mr Johnsen said he believed a percentage of resource income should be spent managing the environment, an idea that he floated with state and federal Nationals MPs at a meeting in Sydney on Tuesday. He said nuclear, gas, coal and renewables “all have a role to play” in reducing the nation’s emissions output.

“Add that to industry involvement along with cool burning techniques and we will dramatically reduce the future risks of such fire intensity that does so much damage to people, property and the environment.