Coalition signals it’ll dump former Liberal Minister Matt Kean from climate authority

Coalition has signalled it will dump former NSW energy Minister Matt Kean from his role on the Climate Change Authority if successful in the upcoming federal election.

Former NSW energy Minister Matt Kean would be dumped from his new role on the Climate Change Authority if the Coalition wins the federal election, a senior Liberal Senator has signalled, as part of a clean-out of the body which she claims has become ‘politicised’.

Coalition spokeswoman for finance Jane Hume made the comments after the authority released a report on the impact of nuclear energy on Australia’s emissions, which claimed an additional one billion tonnes of emissions from electricity would be exerted by 2050 if the new energy source was pursued.

Ms Hume, when directly asked if she would dump former NSW energy Minister Mr Kean from the body, said: “I don’t think that we could possibly maintain a Climate Change Authority that has been so badly politicised”.

Former NSW Minister Matt Kean gives the Keynote address at the Australian Clean Energy Summit 2024 at the ICC Darling Harbour. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

“I cannot imagine that we possibly maintain a Climate Change Authority that has been so poorly, so badly politicised. It simply isn’t serving its purpose to provide independent advice to government on its climate change policy,” she told the ABC.

Labor assistant Minister Tim Ayres, who sat next to Mr Kean at Senate estimates on Monday, fired back over Ms Hume’s comments.

“This outfit, the alternative government’s response to independent criticism, is to bully people,” he said.

“That is un-Australian and shows a complete lack of respect for independent organisations.”

Senator Jane Hume during the Finance and Public Administration Estimates at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Kean triggered fury among Liberal Party members when he was unveiled as the authority’s chair at a press conference with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and energy Minister Chris Bowen last year, less than a week after he stood down from NSW politics.

Senate estimates also heard Labor will reveal its 2035 emissions reduction target later this year in September, with the Coalition previously accusing Labor of covering up the target.

Originally published as Coalition signals it’ll dump former Liberal Minister Matt Kean from climate authority