Environment Minister Melissa Price fails to get states’ support on climate change action plan

Environment Minister Melissa Price has failed to get agreement on a national action plan on climate change.

Environment Minister Melissa Price has failed to get agreement on a national action plan on climate change after the states revolted on the wording. . Picture Kym Smith

Environment Minister Melissa Price has refused to answer questions on a major climate change summit in Poland after she failed to get the support of state ministers for an “action plan” to tackle global warming.

Ms Price flies out tonight for Katowice, Poland, to attend the COP24 Summit, which is seen as the biggest climate conference since the formation of the Paris Agreement in 2015.

But she failed to ­secure agreement on a ­national ­action plan on climate change yesterday after the states rejected the wording.

“What I had suggested was that we have an agreed statement that we would all work together towards an action plan with ­respect to climate, in respect to things that we can do individually and collectively,” she said. “Sadly, that was not agreed … I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to say who did agree and didn’t agree.”

The Weekend Australian understands Ms Price’s action plan would put the onus on the states to lead ­environmental policy but Labor states demanded the commonwealth present its own plan.

After questions on her failure to gain the support of the states, the minister walked out of a press conference and ignored questions on the Poland summit.

A joint statement by Labor ­ministers said: “Our jurisdictions are initiating, developing and ­delivering strong and lasting ­action on climate change … it is time the Liberal-National states and the commonwealth join us.”