Queensland environment minister stands by ‘scepticism’ about human-induced climate change

Andrew Powell first said he was not ‘100% convinced’ 12 years ago while holding the portfolio during the Campbell Newman era

Queensland’s environment minister has told parliament he stands by his comments more than a decade ago that he was “a bit sceptical” about human involvement in climate change.

Andrew Powell returned to the environment, tourism, science and innovation portfolio last month, having held it under the former premier Campbell Newman in 2012.

Speaking to ABC radio in June of that year, he acknowledged climate was changing, but said that he “was still to be convinced of the degree to which we are influencing that”.

At a media conference the following day, Powell doubled down, saying he was not “100% convinced of the human population’s role” in climate change.

“Are we polluting the environment? Yes we are. Are we using a non-renewable energy source? Yes we are. Do we need to address both of those factors? Yes we do.”

During Wednesday’s question time, Greens MP Michael Berkman asked Powell if he “was still a bit sceptical of anthropogenic climate change” 12 years after the comments.

Powell initially responded by pointing out that one of the staff at the office of climate change made redundant during the Newman era was Berkman himself.

The environment minister then said “I stand by those comments”.

“I said when I was the environment [minister] previously I believed in climate change. I stand by those comments. How the likes of the news – a number of news outlets – chose to report that is up to them, not on me,” Powell responded.

The LNP supported the previous Labor government’s 75% by 2035 carbon emissions target and promised not to amend or repeal the legislation in government.

But it did vow to repeal the state renewable energy target and extend the life of coal plants and has not detailed how it would achieve its emissions reduction goal.

Powell told parliament he was committed to achieving the target in a “responsible way”.

“We’ll do it by respecting our taxpayers’ dollars. We’ll do it by working with the private sector to deliver on those,” he said.

Berkman accused Powell of having undone “years of work on reducing Queensland’s carbon emissions”, noting that because “he’s at the helm of the environment department again [and] he says his views haven’t changed”.

“These are deeply concerning and dangerous, anti-science views, especially for an environment minister,” Berkman said.

“I recognise this government from personal experience of the cuts and the climate denialism – this is Newman reincarnate.”

Cover photo: Andrew Powell, Queensland minister for the environment and tourism and minister for science and innovation. Photograph: Darren England/AAP