Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says adopting a net zero emissions target by 2050 which excludes agriculture “could indeed be one of the options” but “remains a long way off”.
On Sunday Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell reported Scott Morrison looked set to adopt a net zero emissions target by 2050, but will exclude agriculture from this target.
Mr Clennell said in doing so, Morrison would be able to “argue that New Zealand have done the same”.
“The NZ government has that 2050 target but agriculture is out, even though it produces half of NZ's emissions,” he said.
Mr McCormack told Sky News there was huge challenges in 2021 and he is “certainty not worried about what might happen in 30 years time”.
“The concentration at the moment indeed for me, for the National Party and indeed for regional Australia is getting back on our feet after what’s been a very challenging year," he said.
“There is no way that we are going to whack regi
Road rage: Flood damage closes Cape York s sealed highway, and MP Warren Entsch is fuming
SatSaturday 6
updated
SatSaturday 6
FebFebruary 2021 at 9:55pm
Sections of the main road through Cape York have been washed away, despite only being sealed five years ago.
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A Federal MP has accused the Queensland Government of squandering millions of taxpayer dollars after sections of road in Far North Queensland s Cape York washed away in flooding.
Key points:
Federal MP Warren Entsch says the road should be able to withstand heavy rain
Queensland s Transport Minister says the damage was caused by unprecedented rainfall
Fortescue Metals chairman and founder Andrew Forrest.
It’s shaping up as the first big rort of the year, and boy is it a whopper.
The Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund was supposed to be a rescue package for NSW communities ravaged by last year’s Black Summer bushfires.
Instead, it’s at the centre of a new pork-barrelling scandal, with allegations funding has been targeted to Coalition-held state seats including $10 million for a paper mill controlled by one of the Coalition’s biggest donors, Anthony Pratt.
Now another famous billionaire has been drawn into the scandal.
Mining billionaire Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest is having to justify topping up the fund with cash from his multibillion-dollar philanthropy vehicle the Minderoo Foundation.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says the government has done “so much” to get Australians stranded overseas back home.
About 40,000 Australians are stranded overseas, with many being pushed off flights.
Kristina Keneally has been a vocal critic of the government, saying Scott Morrison has left Australians behind.
“Scott Morrison said on March 13 last year, he urged Australians to come home. He encouraged them, he implored them,” Mr McCormack told Sky News.
“Indeed 443,000 have done just that. But we need to obviously get more back.”
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack says the federal government is “absolutely” open to welcoming international visitors earlier than expected if the vaccine rollout is successful.
Mr McCormack was asked this morning about whether the government would consider reopening borders sooner – after Health Department Secretary Professor Brendan Murphy flagged international travel could resume earlier if the vaccine does prevent transmission of the virus.
“We’ve followed the best medical advice all the way through and we want our international borders to be open as soon as possible because that means that seasonal workers can come in to do all the great jobs they do, particularly in regional Australia,” Mr McCormack responded.
“It means tourists can come back, but we’ll do it in the safest and most practical way and we’ll do it based on the best medical advice.”