Green group praises Barnaby Joyce for "open mind" on climate change

Tamworth resident Penny Milson was one of three local climate activists who spoke to Mr Joyce in a meeting on Wednesday morning.

"I felt that he definitely listened," she said.

The trio were "pleased to find some common ground" with the former Prime Minister, she said.

"He commented that he's not afraid to ever cross the floor or go against party lines if there's something he strongly believes in. That gives us comfort that he's got the guts to make a stand on issues that he believes are important."

They want him to do just that later this month, asking him to vote for a climate change bill to be introduced on March 23 by Independent MP Zali Steggall.

But Mr Joyce said they shouldn't get their hopes up. He won't be voting for the bill, saying the independent MP can't "outline the cost to the most vulnerable" the legislation would impose.

Ms Steggall told him the cost of climate change is much worse, Barnaby Joyce said, but he said he doesn't "know if it is worse".

"The reason no side of government will figure that out is because once people work out what the cost is they don't want to do it."

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The Climate Change Bill 2020 would require government to do detailed risk assessment of the costs of global warming, and would establish an organisation to assess governments' progress towards targets Australia committed to under Prime Minister Tony Abbott among other things.

In a rally of nearly 200 people earlier this year members of the New England Climate Action Group and the Tamworth Parents and Friends for Climate Action demanded the government aim for 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030, no new fossil fuel projects, more funding for firefighters and justice for Indigenous people.

Mr Joyce promised to meet with the group after another rally in comments to the Leader in February.

Penny Milson said they got no "tangible outcome" from the meeting but it was a "great first start".

"I'm hopeful that today was step one of building a relationship with our local member."