Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Australia was now “isolated on climate change” with the election of Mr Biden and it engaged in “a whole lot of rhetoric but no real action”.
But Mr Fitzgibbon said a new campaign from within the party for deeper cuts sooner would be “just a recipe for another election loss”.
Privately the resources and agriculture spokesman,who represents the NSW election of Hunter,has raised with his colleagues his fear the ALP is in permanent opposition.
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“It would be a mistake to conclude that Joe Biden’s narrow win,or indeed the Congressional results,are a green light for climate change policies that leave Labor’s traditional base behind,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“It should though put pressure on Scott Morrison to embrace the 2050 net zero emissions target and to take more action.”
Federal Labor has been embroiled in a public battle between Mr Fitzgibbon,Mr Albanese,and energy spokesman Mark Butler over Labor’s climate language,in particular towards gas,which last month triggered a process whereby the ALP agreed to support new gas projects,subject to environmental approvals and reaching net zero emissions by 2050.