Pauline Hanson says the 'science isn't there' on climate change

Pauline Hanson says the 'science isn't there' on climate change

ONE Nation leader Pauline Hanson has had a fiery exchange with a Greens senator on Sunrise, where she claimed climate change is not caused by humans.

Senator Hanson told Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on the breakfast TV show that she was wary of claims made about climate change and its links with pollution. She was also adamant that it does not come from human existence.

“I’m very sceptical of this (climate change) because the science isn’t there, and that’s been proven,” Ms Hanson said on Sunrise.

“Climate is changing, but it’s not from humans Sarah — get this through your head.”

But that did not stop Ms Hanson-Young from fighting back, accusing Ms Hanson of living in “La La Land.”

“Thank goodness most Australian’s disagree with you. Are you really lining up with the tinfoil hat brigade Pauline?,” she said.

Sunrise co-host David Koch even intervened to mention to Senator hanson that the Turnbull Government’s Chief Scientist Alan Finkel believed in climate change.

But that did not change Senator Hanson’s mind.

She argued that Australians were sick of high power bills. She also confirmed to Kochie that One Nation would not support the Coalition’s proposed clean energy target.

“People can’t afford it, it’s putting so much pressure on families and businesses,” she said.

‘How can a fish and chip shop afford $14,000 a quarter in electricity? How can these pubs in outback Longreach afford $20,000 electricity a quarter? Wake up.

“We can’t do it at the moment, I won’t see any more people lose their jobs and I won’t see any more businesses shut down because of this.”

The comments on the government’s energy target come as Tony Abbott warned government leaders against attempting to rush any new energy policy through the coalition party room.

Cabinet is expected to discuss the policy, including whether to adopt a version of the clean energy target recommended by Mr Finkel.

The coalition party room could examine the proposal on Tuesday.

“I hope the party room gets plenty of chance to digest whatever comes out of the cabinet,” Mr Abbott told Ray Hadley on 2GB radio.

The former prime minister praised Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, saying he was capable, talented and “a bloke I respect”.

He expected the minister would have given the new policy “a lot of very serious thought”.

Senior ministers have been insisting the policy will balance the need to have affordable and reliable electricity while cutting emissions.

Consumer watchdog chief Rod Sims cautioned a clean energy target was designed to cut emissions, but it was hard to say whether it would also bring down prices.

It was important to understand the trade-offs between the various objectives if the nation was to have an effective energy policy, he said.

Labor is worried the government will use these comments to back away from the policy, which it says would be capitulating to Mr Abbott and fellow conservative backbenchers.

Labor frontbencher Pat Conroy says while the ACCC seemed ambivalent towards the clean energy target, he trusted the chief scientist and industry who were calling for it.

“This government will use the ACCC report as a cover to back away because they’re craven and cowardly,” he told reporters.