Malcolm Turnbull is DUMPED from his new climate change job after widespread public outrage at the unpopular ex-PM’s plumb new gig
- Turnbull was appointed to climate change role last week
- But the public turned on the government over the decision to appoint him
- NSW government forced into embarrassing backflip
Malcolm Turnbull has been dumped from his new job as the NSW government’s climate change tsar after widespread public ridicule at the appointment.
NSW Climate Change minister Matt Kean was forced into an embarrassing backflip on Tuesday over his decision to appoint the unpopular former prime minister as chair of the Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board.
Mr Kean said in a statement that the position should be ‘focus should not be on personality’.
‘It is important that the focus is on achieving these outcomes, based on facts, technology, science, and economics,’ he said in a statement on Tuesday.
‘The focus should not be on personality,’ he said.
Mr Turnbull had ‘contributed much to our country … however, no person’s role on the board should distract from achieving results for the NSW people or from the government’s work in delivering jobs and opportunities for the people of NSW’.
‘For this reason, I have decided not to proceed with his appointment as chair.’
The NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer will act in the role until a new chair is named.
The announcement comes hours after The Daily Telegraph published a letter Mr Turnbull wrote to the NSW government objecting to the expansion of a coal mine in the Upper Hunter near his family’s 2,700 acre property.
Deputy Premier and Nationals Leader John Barilaro was the first person to declare Mr Turnbull had been axed.
‘We are not proceeding with the appointment of Malcolm Turnbull as chair,’ he told Sydney radio 2GB ahead of Mr Kean’s statement.
‘You need someone who brings people together and not divides and unfortunately Malcolm has done the opposite.
‘Great result for common sense.
‘He pulled my pants down within 48 of his appointment on an area that I take seriously,’ he said of Mr Turnbull’s recent comments on coal mines.
‘I’m the deputy premier … and I chose to be the mining minister because I thought for the last 10 years we have not done enough to support the industry which has been the backbone of our economy and the nation.’
Last week, Defence Minister Peter Dutton weighed in on the appointment of Mr Turnbull.
‘All I can say is that Malcolm was very consistent as prime minister, and that is that he supported coal mining, and he said that on the public record on a number of occasions.’
MORE TO COME