The National Party’s new leader has built his politics on climate scepticism. But rising costs, extreme weather and the accelerating energy transition make that stance increasingly difficult to sustain.

The crowning of Matt Canavan means the National Party’s champion climate change sceptic is now at the helm – something which the Labor government might well be rejoicing.

But belittling existential climate threat is a misguided strategy, especially given the havoc it wreaks in the rural electorates the National Party purports to represent.

This fact is not lost on voters. A recent Griffith University survey shows that since 2010 Australians who are concerned over climate change doubled to around 70 per cent. More than one-third of Australians reported having experienced at least one extreme weather or natural disaster event in the preceding year. Voters are also now more aware of the costs. Home insurance premiums have risen 50 per cent over the past five years of which half the rise is being ascribed to climate change.

So unlike King Canute, Canavan will be faced with the climate change reality tide wetting more than his feet. The Coalition’s incoherent policies, based on short term fossil fuel-based fixes, have a rapid expiry date given they are little more than a set of climate change accelerants.

To justify the assault on the transition to renewables, Canavan simply ignores a plethora of........

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