Australia’s energy minister has slammed Labor’s pledge to bid for the nation to host a major United Nations climate change summit if elected, warning it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars which would be money better spent on roads and hospitals.
Earlier this week Labor’s energy spokesman Chris Bowen said that he planned to put in a bid for Australia to host the UN’s annual Conference of the Parties – known as COP – with other Pacific nations if they won the election.
But Energy Minister Angus Taylor has slammed the idea, saying the money would be better spent on upgrading schools.
It comes after about 100,000 climate protesters – including Greta Thunberg – marched in Glasgow when it held COP26 last year.
The UK government paid Scotland $170m to host the summit, which required about 10,000 police officers to be deployed.
When Sydney hosted the smaller event of APEC in 2007 it cost $330m, which equates to $450m when taking into account inflation.
This is why Mr Taylor doesn’t think it’s a good idea.
“Labor are showing their true priorities. Labor cares more about pleasing foreign bureaucrats in the UN and the Twitterati than fighting for the Australian jobs that rely on our strong manufacturing and resources industries,” he said.
“The hundreds of millions of dollars they’ll spend on hosting a conference like this would be better spent upgrading hospitals, schools and roads, or funding national security initiatives in the Pacific that actually deliver a tangible benefit to the region.
“What secret climate deals will Labor do to get the UN and others to allow Australia to host a COP?”
Mr Taylor’s concerns about a deal needing to be struck stem from the fact conferences are scheduled many years in advance.
Next year’s COP27 will be hosted by Egypt, while COP28 in 2023 is scheduled to be hosted in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2024, hosting duties are expected to be given to an Eastern European group.
That means it would be quite challenging for Labor to be able to secure the event during the next term of government.
But Labor has fired back.
“It’s hardly a surprise that one of Scott Morrison’s chief climate sceptics doesn’t support having an international climate change conference in Australia,” a Labor spokesman said.
“After nine years of climate change vandalism under the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison governments, hosting COP is an important opportunity to repair xjmtzywAustralia’s international reputation on climate change, in particular with our Pacific neighbours.
“Hosting a COP conference would also be an unmissable opportunity to sell Australia to the world as a renewable energy superpower.”
