Kevin Rudd has hotly rejected the notion he squibbed a double dissolution election on emissions trading, arguing he has worked hard on climate change and remains passionate about the issue.
The prime minister told ABC TV’s 7.30 Report on Wednesday that Labor would relish the chance to go up against Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in an election fought on climate change.
But he stopped short of saying he would go to the polls on the back of his Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) - twice rejected by the Senate - saying instead he would fight on climate change “actions”.
“I would be delighted to fight Mr Abbott … at the next election, whenever it is held, on climate change,” he said.
The government has put off its CPRS until at least 2013, blaming frustrations in the Senate and the lack of climate change action globally, at Copenhagen.
Voter disappointment at the backflip has been reflected in a series of poor polls for Labor.
But Mr Rudd said his government had been the hardest working at the Copenhagen conference.
“(Climate Change Minister) Penny Wong and I sat up for three days and three nights with 20 leaders from around the world to try and frame a global agreement,” he said.
“It might be easy for you to sit in 7.30 Report land and say that was easy to do. Let me tell you mate, it wasn’t.
“We are fundamentally committed to climate change.
“We couldn’t get the global accord that we wanted. As a consequence we need to do further work on the global front, further work on the national front, because I am absolutely passionate about acting on climate change.”
Opposition climate change spokesman Greg Hunt likened Mr Rudd’s inflamed display to former Labor leader Mark Latham.
Mr Rudd had flip-flopped on emissions trading and now his mood was volatile, too, Mr Hunt said.
“It appears that under the slightest pressure the prime minister is looking increasingly out of control,” he told AAP.
“He is making wildly erratic decisions and morphing into Mark Latham, but without the conviction.”
