John Howard 31 May 2007: "We both accept the need for a target but, unlike those who sit opposite, those on this side of the House say that you have got to work out what a specific target means before you commit."

Not a thing has changed between then & what Morrison is saying https://twitter.com/AusHCUK/status/1330812991399346177

So [please let us not fall for this bullshit of "oh yes we all agree we need to do something, but we have to think about the "how".

They've been saying it for 13+ years now.

It is merely a means to delay

John Howard 29 March 2007: "While ever this government remains in office we will not sell out the medium and longer term interests of the Australian economy and the medium and long-term interests of Australian workers for a particular commitment to a specific target."

Could have been said by Morrison yesterday and no one would blink

or "you need a balanced approach which produces a measured reduction in greenhouse gas emission but not at the price of destroying thousands of jobs for Australian workers, particularly in the coalmining industry."

or "The truth is that, in responding to climate change, no rational government caring for the long-term interests of Australia is going to enter into an arrangement that would reduce the competitiveness of Australian industry. "

or "Unlike the Labor Party—those who sit opposite—we have no intention of embracing a target when we do not know the economic consequences of it. We have no intention of embracing a target that is going to do damage to the business community."

or "I can imagine the impact that the devastation of the coal industry would have on hundreds of thousands of small businesses, including many thousands of motels dotted around the country, that would be adversely affected."

or "as a community, as we debate ways of responding effectively to climate change we must do it in a calm, balanced and practical fashion. We must not be panicked into adopting measures that are going to damage Australia’s economy and destroy Australian jobs."

or "Let me simply say that to close down coal exports would do great injury to Australia, cost thousands of Australians their jobs and visit enormous hardship on many regional communities"

or " It is fair to say that most Australians believe that we have had drought for a very long time. Common sense tells you that the variability of rainfall across this country has been with us for a long time. Every drought eventually ends."

or " this government did recognise that climate change represented a challenge, but I also made it clear that, in responding to it, we did not intend to embrace knee-jerk reactions that are going to damage the Australian economy."