Exactly one year on since the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tuvalu, the Morrison Government has been criticised for failing to deliver on its climate commitments to our Pacific neighbours.
The former Prime Minister of Tuvalu Enele Sopoaga has today rightly pointed out that Scott Morrison made a promise at last year’s Forum that by 2020 he would have developed a long-term strategy for how Australia will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Sadly but not surprisingly, after seven years in Government and 19 energy policy attempts, the Coalition has no national energy policy and they continue an anti-renewables agenda.
Time and time again the Prime Minister has demonstrated he is unable to deliver real action on climate change.
Pacific nations, including Australia, have declared that climate change is the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of their people.
The Coalition’s inaction has strained our relationships with the region at a time when they’ve never been more important.
Scott Morrison has regularly referred to the Pacific as family, but he’s done little to show his love and respect for these countries.
On the other hand, in the aftermath of the Black Summer bushfires, our Pacific neighbours made generous donations with what little they have to support impacted Australians.
If the Morrison Government wants to remain a partner of choice for these nations and in their family, it needs to step up and deliver real action on climate change.