Scott Morrison has refused to say exactly when the modelling behind his government's net zero by 2050 target will be published, prompting Labor to step up its attacks on the Prime Minister's credibility.
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Mr Morrison deflected questions about the modelling during a visit to Newcastle on Monday, where he spruiked the region's potential as a major hub for clean hydrogen.
The visit was Mr Morrison's first stop in a week-long tour of seats in NSW and Victoria, which the Prime Minister will use to attempt to shift attention back to his domestic agenda after his disastrous trip to the G20 leaders' meeting and Glasgow climate summit.
The government has allocated $1.5 million for a $3 million study which will examine the feasibility of establishing a clean hydrogen hub at the Port of Newcastle.
Green hydrogen is among the suite of potential fuel sources and low-emissions technologies which the government will rely on to reach its new goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
The government has refused to publish the detailed modelling underpinning the target, with the net zero roadmap unveiled before Mr Morrison left for Europe containing only vague projections.
The department in charge of the modelling conceded at Senate estimates late last month the work had been presented to the government, but it wasn't yet ready to be made public.
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Mr Morrison was asked repeatedly on Monday when the modelling would be made public, but would only say "soon".
Labor has indicated it won't release its full suite of climate and energy policies - including its 2030 or 2035 emissions reduction target - until the modelling has been published.
Opposition climate and energy spokesman Chris Bowen accused Mr Morrison of being mistrustful, declaring it was past time the government published the taxpayer-funded modelling.
Labor has stepped up attacks on Mr Morrison's credibility after French President Emmanuel Macron last week accused the Australian Prime Minister of lying to him over the $90 billion submarine deal.
"After all the hype, Scott Morrison's alleged plan has net zero legislation, modelling, new policies or increase to Australia's medium-term ambition," Mr Bowen said.
The Morrison government's contribution to the COP26 summit in Glasgow attracted fresh criticism on Monday, with a top UK climate adviser labelling Australia a "great disappointment" in an interview on ABC radio.
UK Climate Change Committee chair Lord Deben accused Mr Morrison of not grasping the urgency of climate change, after Australia refused to sign pledges to phase out coal and slash methane emissions, or update its 2030 target at the summit.
Mr Morrison defended his government's "technology not taxes" approach to cutting emissions when pressed by reporters in Newcastle.
"Our commitment to net zero by 2050 is not going to be achieved by legislating jobs away," he said.
"It's not going to be achieved by forcing people to do things.
"It's going to be achieved by getting the costs of the technologies that change the world, down. Not by putting the cost of other things up."
Mr Morrison used the visit to the Hunter region to announce Brooke Vitnell and Nell McGill as the Liberal candidates for the seats of Paterson and Shortland, respectively.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
