By Situation Theatre 7/2/2020

“If I knew climate change was a threat back when I was PM way back in August 2018, I would have done something.”

Fearless ex-leaders of Australia’s foremost party of climate denial, Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop, have bravely come out in support of bold climate action only 18 months after they had the power to do something about it.

Speaking in Sydney at an event put on by the Coalition for Conservation, former Prime Minister Mr Turnbull compared Liberal Party climate deniers to “terrorists”, a pretty meaningless turnaround for a man who led them for so long. Channelling his inner extremist, he also argued for a “green new deal” to transition the economy away from fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, former deputy terrorist leader Julie Bishop says Australia “needs action on several fronts”, including leading international efforts against climate change.

This is how Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop led Australia’s efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

Approves Carmichael coal mine – 16 October 2015
Environment Minister Greg Hunt claims selling India Australian coal will cut carbon emissions – 10 Dec 2015
Approves Abbot Point Coal Terminal expansion – 22 December 2015
Presides over a drop in Australia’s ranking on the Environmental Performance Index of 10 places – 28 January 2016
Approves logging in Murray Valley National Park – 28 February 2016
Tries to loan Adani $1 billion to build a railway link to the Carmichael mine and promises to “fix” native title problems – 11 April 2017
Describes Labor’s emissions trading scheme as “jobs destroying”, a handbrake on the economy, leading to “much higher energy prices.” – 27 April 2016
Says coal will be important for “many, many decades to come” – 25 October 2016
Seeks changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to stop conservation groups challenging environmental ministerial decisions – October 31, 2016
Says “if anyone had a vested interest in showing you that you could do really smart, clean things with coal, it would be us” – 1 February, 2017
Opens $5 billion infrastructure fund for “clean-coal” power stations – 3 February 2017
Hires Sid Marris, former head of climate and environment at the Minerals Council of Australia, to be his climate and energy adviser – 3 February 2017
Scott Morrison brings a lump of coal to question time and says “This is coal. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared.” – 9 February 2017
Ignores advice that renewable energy was not to blame for South Australian blackouts – 13 February 2017
Oversees 3.4% rise in emissions within 12 months and 7.5% increase since the Abbott-Turnbull government scrapped the carbon price – 01 March 2017
Diverts funds from Clean Energy Finance Corporation to fund coal with carbon capture and storage – 31 May 2017
Stops releasing pollution data that used to be announced on a quarterly basis – 7 July 2017
Attacks South Australian renewable energy policy as “ideology and idiocy in equal measure” – 14 August 2017
Lobbies AGL to delay closure of ageing Liddell coal power station for another five years – 5 September 2017
Dumps Clean Energy Target – 17 October 2017
Plans to reduce environmental spending to less than 60% of 2013-2014 budget – 13 December 2017
Data released in the week before Christmas shows highest greenhouse gas emissions on record when land use change emissions excluded – 19 December 2017
This data shows emissions increasing to 2030 and beyond – 19 December 2017
Declares climate policies are a big success – 19 December 2017
Climate policy review loosens the safeguard mechanism that sets limits on pollution – 19 December 2017
Government fails to list a single piece of critical habitat for protection despite 1800 species and ecological communities being identified as threatened in Australia – 6 Match 2018
Backs Pauline Hanson’s motion for new coal-fired power stations – 27 June 2018
Turnbull’s signature emissions reduction policy, the National Energy Guarantee, described as having ‘no benefit’ to emissions – 18 July 2018.
Personally approves $443m fund for Great Barrier Reef Foundation, an organisation with ties to BHP, Shell and Peabody Energy – 31 July 2018.
Removes emissions reduction target from National Energy Guarantee – 20 August 2018

As part of his recent Sydney speech, Mr Turnbull said when it comes to climate change, "We are seen as very behind....as a leader in a negative sense. That should really embarrass so many Australians."

Mr Turnbull has finally found his voice on climate action, but lost the capacity to feel shame.

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