John Howard’s climate doubts reveal more about conservative identity politics than anything else

‘Former prime minister John Howard’s comments about climate change tell us plenty about his regard for the risks and how he wants to frame the issue.’ Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The former prime minister John Howard remains an elder statesman among conservatives so when he’s asked on primetime television if he doubts that climate change is happening, his response is revealing.

That moment happened on the ABC on Tuesday evening during an interview with actor David Wenham, who asked: “You’re not refuting the fact that there’s climate change?”