Young will abandon us for climate inaction, Liberal Dean Smith warns

Lib Dean Smith has warned that the government risks losing the next generation by ­failing to address climate change.

Scott Morrison visits Pure Gelato in Canberra yesterday during an effort to spruik the Coalition’s revamped energy policy. Picture: Kym Smith

West Australian Liberal senator Dean Smith has warned that the government risks losing the ­support of the next generation by ­failing to address climate change, as business and industry demand certainty over emissions ­reductions.

Senator Smith yesterday said climate change had become a key challenge for the government, with moderate Liberals blaming a lack of action for the Wentworth by-election rout.

“When you think about attracting the support of young voters to the Liberal Party to support our candidates in marginal seats, climate change — in the same way that same-sex marriage was — is an issue that is important to young people,” he told 6PR Radio.

Asked if there was a risk the Liberals would lose support from next-generation voters, Senator Smith said: “You’re going to lose it, if you haven’t already lost it.”

A group of 15 organisations — representing the conservation, ­energy, social services, property, business and manufacturing sectors — will today urge the government not to pull out of the Paris climate agreement.

The groups, including the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Aluminium Council, the Australian Industry Group, the Property Council of Australia and the Clean Energy Council, say that bipartisan commitment to Paris “sends a clear long-term signal to investors and contributes to the global solution needed to minimise climate change”.

The Coalition remains divided on the issue of whether to pull out of the Paris Agreement.

Asked on Sky News on Monday night whether Australia should withdraw, LNP senator Amanda ­Stoker replied: “I would.”

Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox yesterday said the government’s energy policy was flawed by the “absence of a clear long-term policy on emissions”. He said the lack of a clear ­emissions policy would “sig­nificantly undermine the case for investment in new assets and re­investment in existing generators”.

The government’s decision to hand Josh Frydenberg new powers to break up the assets of energy companies was also described as an “extreme step” that would “set a dangerous precedent for the whole economy”.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor will tomorrow try to muster support from his state and territory counterparts for a key remnant of the scrapped national energy guarantee called the “reliability obligation”. The obligation would require energy retailers to contract ahead to meet demand during forecast supply shortfalls, but Victoria has ruled out signing up to anything ahead of the November state election.

Queensland Labor Energy Minister Anthony Lynham said he wanted more information. “It’s not good enough to treat states and territories like a tick box,” he said.

“I’ll be telling Minister Taylor that face-to-face.”

Scott Morrison and Mr Taylor yesterday visited a gelato store in Canberra to spruik their revamped energy policy, which includes a “default market offer” against which retailers will be required to set prices. The legislation will be introduced to parliament before the end of the year, with Mr Taylor to convene a roundtable to ask retailers to lower prices by January 1.

Under the government’s energy package, the Coalition will seek advice on how it can help fund new baseload power generation, including clean coal plants.