Turnbull attacks fossil-fuel pollies

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull has needled Australian politicians over their refusal to come to a consensus on climate change.

Malcolm Turnbull at Rose Bay wharf in Sydney with Dave Sharma.

Malcolm Turnbull has seized on Britain’s move to close its last coal-fired power station, needling Australian politicians over their refusal to come to a consensus on climate change.

The former prime minister, who dumped his signature climate and energy policy amid threats by pro-coal MPs to cross the floor, yesterday highlighted a tweet by Prime Minister Theresa May celebrating Britain’s first week generating electricity without coal since the industrial revolution.

“The UK’s political challenges are not enviable, but at least there is longstanding bipartisan support for tackling climate change and moving to net zero emissions and, in particular, away from burning fossil fuels,” Mr Turnbull tweeted.

He was tackled online over the tweet by Nine’s Chris Uhlmann, who pointed out that Britain had “a very different energy mix”.

In 2018, gas provided 39 per cent of its energy, 35 per cent was generated from oil and 7.9 per cent came from nuclear power.

Mr Turnbull hit back: “Well Chris, if you are referring to nuclear as the energy source Australia lacks, I have to say that in 2019 solar (especially) and wind plus storage will be a much cheaper form of dispatchable power.

“For Australia, clean tech has overtaken nukes for energy ­generation.”

Coal Council of Australia chief executive Greg Evans said Britain’s energy sector “provides no guidance for Australia’s energy circumstances”.

“It is not a stand-alone grid and is reliant on both imported gas for electricity generation and direct imports of electricity through ­interconnectors,” Mr Evans said.

“A shift to coal-free (energy) generation (in Australia) would be economy-wrecking, forgoing much of our competitive advantage.”

Mr Turnbull intervened in the election campaign last month, attacking the ­Coalition he once led for abandoning his nat­ional energy guarantee, and noting Scott Morrison “especially” supported the NEG that Bill Shorten has vowed to introduce.

Ms May said she was proud Britain had gone for a record one week without using coal to generate power.