Gore and Palmer team up on climate

Unlikely allies, former US Vice President Al Gore and Clive Palmer announce the PUP's stance on the carbon tax repeal bill.

He's one of our more colourful politicians, but how did he get there? And how will Clive Palmer's party vote on the contentious carbon tax repeal bill?

Clive Palmer arriving at the House of Representatives doors at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: News Corp Australia

THERE is a saying that politics makes strange bedfellows as was seen by the latest odd coupling in Canberra this afternoon.

Former US vice president Al Gore, who is a climate change activist, teamed up with mining magnate and newly minted MP Clive Palmer as he announced Palmer United Party members would support a bill to abolish the carbon tax.

But there were conditions attached, with Mr Palmer saying all savings had to be passed on to consumers and he also wanted the Abbott Government to replace its direct action plan with an emissions trading scheme.

However, he said he only wanted the ETS to become active when Australia's major trading partners also moved to establish an ETS.

PUP senators will not support government legislation abolishing the Climate Change Authority and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

Nor will they support any change to the Renewable Energy Target until after the next election.

Mr Palmer said $15 billion was already in the renewable energy investment pipeline.

"It's not the position that makes a leader. It's his actions and examples which others can follow," Mr Palmer said.

"Others that are maybe less capable, like me, can see the light shining out of the darkness."

Mr Gore was pleased about the discussions he'd had that led to the "extraordinary moment" of Mr Palmer's announcement.

The supporter of carbon pricing and global action on climate change was in Australia for a Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training Program in Melbourne.

Mr Palmer flew him up to Canberra today for discussions, the press conference and dinner.

After outlining how other countries are moving on climate change, Mr Gore congratulated the Palmer United Party "on this outstanding statement".

Who would have thought Al Gore and Clive Palmer would be political buddies. AAPImage/Alan Porritt Source: Supplied

During the press conference Mr Gore said it was significant that Mr Palmer supported the continuation of the emissions reduction target.

He said he was also extremely hopeful that Australia would continue to play a leading global role in fighting climate change.

Following Mr Gore's statement, Mr Palmer declined to take questions from journalists saying: "We have to go now to an urgent dinner".

Mr Gore came to international prominence after the release of his Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth in 2006.

He served under President Bill Clinton and has received a Nobel Peace Prize for his work in climate change activism.

EARLIER

Much of the reaction to the Palmer/Gore pair up has been incredulous.

Mr Palmer hinted this morning at a big announcement, promising that it would offer "hope to mankind".

"Wednesday night we'll have an announcement to make on what we think is a solution for Australia and the world," Mr Palmer told the ABC.

"It's going to be a very exciting time I think."

He says it will be a "big day — massive day".

"We'll be very clear about a number of things and offering hope for mankind," he said.

The PUP senators — Glenn Lazarus (Queensland), Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania) and Dio Wang (WA) — who have an arrangement with the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party's Ricky Muir (Victoria) will hold key votes in the new Senate.

The government will need the support of six out of eight crossbenchers to get legislation passed.

Mr Palmer told 2GB Radio on Wednesday that he would spell out how the PUP will vote on the carbon and mining tax repeal bills as well as budget legislation, ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Thursday.

Glenn Lazarus means business. Picture: Adam Armstrong Source: News Corp Australia

"We are all worried about fairness," Mr Palmer said.

"Australians regard fairness as being very important." Mr Palmer said one of the party's first actions would be for senator-elect Lazarus to move a motion setting up an inquiry into alleged corruption in Queensland Premier Campbell Newman's government.

"This is about cronyism," Mr Palmer said.

"What you've got is a whole different culture where the Liberal National Party are cronies." The inquiry could cover such issues as the appointment of the state's new chief justice and favouritism of LNP-linked companies in the awarding of government contracts.

Other issues to be pursued by PUP would be cutting back the national broadband network to an $8 billion project covering only rural and regional areas, a national gas reservation policy and encouraging superannuation funds to invest in infrastructure.

- with AAP

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