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Steven Miles says PM ‘all kilt and no knickers’ as he heads to Glasgow for climate talks

Alex DruceNCA NewsWire
Steven Miles MP, Qld Deputy Premier. Steve Pohlner
Camera IconSteven Miles MP, Qld Deputy Premier. Steve Pohlner Credit: News Corp Australia

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles struggled to stomach the imagery of his quip at the Prime Minister’s expense on Thursday as the nation’s leader prepared to head to Glasgow.

Mr Miles used Thursday’s sitting of parliament in Brisbane to roast Scott Morrison’s ‘plan’ to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, telling MPs the nation’s leader would be “all kilt and no knickers” when he fronts up in Glasgow for the key climate talks this weekend.

Mr Morrison on Tuesday described his grand climate plan as a “uniquely Australian” way to meet obligations on emissions by using existing technologies, and even some that haven’t been invented yet.

PRIME MINISTER PRESSER
Camera IconPrime Minister Scott Morrison is due to fly out of Canberra for Scotland on Thursday evening. NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Credit: News Corp Australia

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But his approach has been criticised for being light on detail and, according to Mr Miles, was likely to disappoint delegates attending the landmark conference in Scotland.

“You know, (Mr Morrison) held a 55 minute press conference where he said the word plan 150 times, but the only thing missing from the press conference was an actual plan,” Mr Miles said on Thursday.

“He is all spin, no substance. All marketing, no detail. All slogan, no solutions.

“In Australia he’s all hat but no cattle. I didn’t realise in Scotland, he’ll be all kilt and no knickers.”

17/02/2006: 17/02/2006: A person in traditional Scottish dress uniform, including a kilt, at Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland. Pic. Supplied NN019166 Pic. Supplied NN019166
Camera IconScott Morrison will be “all kilt and no knickers” in Glasgow, according to Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles. Credit: Supplied

Speaker of the House Curtis Pitt let Mr Miles finish, but afterwards asked him if he wouldn’t mind withdrawing his reference to the Prime Minister’s underwear.

“I can withdraw the words but not the image Mr Speaker,” Miles concluded.

Mr Morrison is expected to depart Canberra en route to Glasgow on Thursday evening.

He has been criticised for appearing to drag his feet on attending the climate talks, with Prince Charles about two weeks ago expressing shock the Prime Minister hadn’t locked in an appearance.

Earlier on Thursday Queensland avoided any new local Covid cases for a second day as it mounts a final vaccination push to meet the December 17 border reopening target.

There was one new case reported in quarantine on Thursday, a flight crew member who went through Mongolia and Singapore.

Qld Parliament
Camera IconSteven Miles MP, Qld Deputy Premier. Steve Pohlner Credit: News Corp Australia

Thursday’s update comes after chief health officer Jeannette Young said she was confident the Gold Coast Covid situation was under control, with recent infections having had little exposure to the community.

The state is, however, still lagging national vaccination rates with just 76.1 per cent of residents having had with a fist dose, and 61.8 per cent with a second dose.

Nationally, 74.8 per cent of people are fully vaccinated.

Queensland is aiming for 80 per cent of its population to have had two jabs by the time the border opens to interstate arrivals on December 17, with unvaccinated people likely to have freedoms restricted and be excluded from certain businesses.

International arrivals will still need to go through quarantine until Queensland hits the 90 per cent vaccination rate.

Acting deputy commissioner Shane Chelepy, who is the state’s vaccine operations coordinator, said the state was likely to hit 90 per cent early in 2022.

Originally published as Steven Miles says PM ‘all kilt and no knickers’ as he heads to Glasgow for climate talks

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