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Shadow Finance Minister James Patterson criticized the Albanese government's diplomatic failures and expressed skepticism about expected emissions reduction targets, saying the Prime Minister's confidence in securing Papua New Guinea's defense agreement rings hollow after previous broken promises.
Speaking on Sky News First Edition, Patterson questioned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's assurances that the PNG treaty will be signed within weeks, noting the deal was supposed to be completed yesterday and that PNG is now consulting China before proceeding.
"I would like to be able to share the Prime Minister's confidence, but he was also confident last week that this would be signed yesterday, and it wasn't," Patterson said. "So, frankly, I'm not going to just take him at his word on this, particularly after he also failed to secure an agreement in Vanuatu."
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The comments come as the government prepares to announce its 2035 emissions reduction target today, with reports suggesting figures between 60% and 75%, while business groups advocate for a more achievable 50% target.
Pacific Strategy Under Pressure
Patterson criticized the government's handling of crucial Pacific partnerships, saying both PNG and Vanuatu agreements were presented as "done and dusted" despite remaining unsigned.
"The problem with these arrangements is that his government had been briefing the media for weeks in advance that this was done and dusted, signed and sealed, and both of these agreements would be achieved, and yet neither of them have been," he said.
The Shadow Finance Minister emphasized the strategic importance of securing these partnerships in what Foreign Minister Penny Wong has described as "a permanent contest in the Pacific for influence between ourselves and the People's Republic of China."
"We don't want to lose that contest because it will be extremely damaging to our national interest," Patterson said, adding he hopes the government can "pull this one out of the fire" despite past failures.
The PNG defense treaty would create mutual defense obligations between Australia and its nearest neighbor, while similar arrangements with Vanuatu remain stalled following diplomatic setbacks during Albanese's recent Pacific tour.
TikTok Security Concerns
Patterson also addressed Australia's divergent approach from the United States on TikTok regulation, expressing concern that Australians could face continued security risks while Americans access a safer version of the platform.
As former Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Cybersecurity, Patterson previously led calls for banning TikTok from government devices after intelligence agencies advised it posed espionage risks.
"It's also a risk, though, to foreign interference, and that's why the US government has proceeded down this route and is attempting to effectively sever the control of TikTok USA from the parent company ByteDance because it's subject to the laws and control of the Chinese government, which is an authoritarian government," he said.
Patterson suggested Australia should explore joining any US solution that creates a version of TikTok independent from Chinese government control.
"It would be an unfortunate thing if there was a safe version of TikTok in the United States, but a version of TikTok in Australia, which is still controlled by a foreign authoritarian government," he said.
Emissions Targets Face Scrutiny
Ahead of today's expected emissions announcement, Patterson questioned the government's credibility on climate policy, citing flat emissions performance during Labor's first term.
"In their first term, the Albanese government has failed to reduce emissions at all. They're flatlined," Patterson said. "Unlike the previous governments, both the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments all reduced emissions."
He expressed particular skepticism about the government's ability to achieve ambitious new targets without imposing massive costs on households and businesses.
"This government has not reduced emissions and now expects us to believe that it will meet its 2030 target and then some by 2035 with a big increase in that target," Patterson said. "I'm deeply skeptical about this government's ability to do so and I'm particularly skeptical about their ability to do so at an acceptable cost."
Patterson pointed to energy price increases during Labor's term as evidence of policy failures, warning that unrealistic targets could impose even greater costs on Australians.
"So really the government is going to have to explain why its failure to deliver emissions reductions over the last three years is suddenly going to be transformed to spectacular increases in emissions reductions without any costs for households or businesses or employment," he said.
Political Tensions Escalate
The Shadow Finance Minister also responded to Treasurer Jim Chalmers' recent characterization of the opposition as "cookers and crackpots" over climate policy, suggesting the comments reflect internal Labor tensions.
"Well, a secure treasurer who was confident in his position wouldn't need to lash out with extraordinary rhetoric like that," Patterson said. "I think it shows that Jim Chalmers is an insecure treasurer and it is probably because he's in a battle with people like Tony Burke for succession planning after Anthony Albanese."
Patterson suggested Chalmers was attempting to boost his internal standing through provocative comments while Deputy Leader Susan Ley had simply advocated for prudent fiscal management and budget discipline.
"All Sussan Ley was talking about yesterday was that we need to have prudent fiscal management. We need to have budget rules that discipline government spending," he said, describing such positions as "mainstream, conventional budget management" supported by economic experts.
Budget Management Concerns
The Shadow Finance Minister emphasized mainstream economic voices have called for stronger fiscal discipline, citing support from the Productivity Commissioner, former Reserve Bank governors and former Treasury secretaries.
"Jim Chalmers has been unable to control spending in his first term," Patterson said, defending opposition calls for budget rules as standard economic practice rather than extremist positions.
The political exchange highlights growing tensions between the major parties as the government prepares to announce climate targets while facing opposition criticism over diplomatic failures and economic management.
Strategic Implications
Patterson's comments reflect broader opposition concerns about the government's competence across multiple policy areas, from Pacific diplomacy to climate action and fiscal management.
The PNG consultation with China particularly underscores regional strategic challenges as Australia and China compete for influence across Pacific island nations.
Today's emissions announcement will test whether the government can rebuild credibility on climate policy while addressing opposition concerns about economic costs and achievability.
The confluence of diplomatic setbacks, security concerns over Chinese technology platforms, and climate policy debates illustrates the complex challenges facing Australia's relationship with China while maintaining alliance partnerships and domestic economic stability.
Patterson's criticism suggests the opposition will continue questioning government competence across these interconnected issues as both parties position for future electoral contests.
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