Labor’s new deputy leader Richard Marles says he was wrong to call a potential collapse of global coal markets “a good thing,” but will still not back the Adani mine.
Conservative Party leader Cory Bernardi says the Labor Party are seriously out of touch, especially given its new leadership team.
The Australian reports, as Anthony Albanese aims to repair relations with north Queensland voters this week, Mr Marles told Melbourne’s 3AW radio his attack on coal was “tone-deaf.”
“Well, the comments I made earlier this year were tone-deaf and I regret them,” he said.
Mr Marles used an interview on Sky News last February to warn that the future of the industry was under a cloud.
“The global market for thermal coal has collapsed, and at one level that’s a good thing because what that implies is the world is acting in relation to climate change,” the defence spokesman said at the time.
When asked directly whether he supported Adani today Mr Marles did not give a definitive position.
Mr Marles said, “Those comments were tone deaf and I was guilty of it.”
Senator Bernardi told Paul Murray Live on Sky News, Mr Marles and his leader are completely out of touch with the national mood in Australia.
