Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt will claim the Coalition’s “merry band of climate deniers” will pressure the Queensland government to follow Canberra-based colleagues and ditch its net zero pledge.

The senior Albanese government minister will use a speech in Brisbane on Thursday to deliver a wide-ranging attack on his rivals’ climate policies after Opposition Leader Sussan Ley buckled to internal party pressure to abandon Australia’s legislated climate targets .

Under the Liberal National Party’s leadership, the Queensland government tore up the state’s renewable energy target and introduced new laws for mandatory public consultation for large-scale solar and wind farms aimed at empowering regional communities to voice concerns against renewable energy projects.

Minister fo

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