New Head Of Oz "Zombie" Climate Change Authority Former Head Of 50% Coal-Powered Utility
Environment groups and the Greens have questioned the appointment of former Origin Energy chief Grant King as the new chairman of the Climate Change Authority, while former members of the authority have described it as a “win” for the fossil fuel industry. The energy and emissions reduction minister, Angus Taylor, announced King’s appointment on Friday, along with Susie Smith, the chief executive of the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network, and John McGee, the former managing director of the Bank of New York Australia, as fellow members.
Taylor said the authority would be expected to provide “robust” advice to government on emissions reduction policy. He said King, also a former president of the Business Council of Australia, had already made a significant contribution to emissions reduction policy development as a member of the government’s technology investment roadmap advisory council and as the chair of a review that was charged with examining ways to cheaply cut emissions.
But Clive Hamilton, a former authority board member, said the announcement was a win for the fossil fuel industry at a time when governments around the world were becoming more ambitious about cutting greenhouse gases. “It’s fascinating that the Morrison government should attempt to disinter the Climate Change Authority – which has been a zombie organisation for several years – but it’s brought it back to oversee its retro greenhouse gas policy,” he said. “I don’t think it will have any credibility at all other than with the crypto deniers within the government.” Economist John Quiggin, another former member of the authority, said the appointments were “disappointing but unsurprising”.
He claimed that after trying but failing to abolish the authority when Tony Abbott was prime minister, the government had effectively achieved its goal by “appointing representatives of the leading opponents of effective climate action”.
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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/09/a-win-for-fossil-fuels-green-groups-critical-as-former-origin-energy-boss-named-chief-of-climate-body
