Malcolm Turnbull has been dumped as chair of the NSW Net-Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board.
The former Liberal prime minister who was named for the role just last week has ruffled coalition feathers by supporting a moratorium on new coal mines in NSW.
State Environment Minister Matt Kean said the purpose of the board was to create jobs in low carbon industries while reducing emissions in ways that grow the economy.
“It is important that the focus is on achieving these outcomes, based on facts, technology, science, and economics,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The focus should not be on personality,” he said.
Mr Turnbull had “contributed much to our country … however, no person’s role on the board should distract from achieving results for the NSW people or from the government’s work in delivering jobs and opportunities for the people of NSW”.
“For this reason, I have decided not to proceed with his appointment as chair.”
The NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer will act in the role until a new chair is named.
The announcement comes hours after The Daily Telegraph published a letter Mr Turnbull wrote to the NSW government objecting to the expansion of a coal mine in the Upper Hunter near his family’s 1092ha property.
Deputy Premier and Nationals Leader John Barilaro was the first person to declare Mr Turnbull had been axed.
“We are not proceeding with the appointment of Malcolm Turnbull as chair,” he told Sydney radio 2GB ahead of Mr Kean’s statement.
“You need someone who brings people together and not divides and unfortunately Malcolm has done the opposite.
“Great result for common sense.
“He pulled my pants down within 48 of his appointment on an area that I take seriously,” he said of Mr Turnbull’s recent comments on coal mines.
“I’m the deputy premier … and I chose to be the mining minister because I thought for the last 10 years we have not done enough to support the industry which has been the backbone of our economy and the nation.”
Last week, Defence Minister Peter Dutton weighed in on the appointment of Mr Turnbull.
“All I can say is that Malcolm was very consistent as prime minister, and that is that he supported coal mining, and he said that on the public record on a number of occasions.”
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