Tony Abbott is not giving up his push for Malcolm Turnbull to dump the renewable energy target, arguing the government is treating voters like mugs if it doesn't.
In a speech to the Young Liberals conference in Adelaide, the former prime minister says the past year has shown what happens when mainstream parties lose touch with their supporters.
"The public are not mugs. We can't credibly attack Labor merely for being worse than us. This is why our first big fight this year must be to stop any further mandatory use of renewable power," he said, according to The Australian on Monday.
Cabinet minister Simon Birmingham said the target was only settled and amended around 18 months ago under the Abbott government.
"We have no plans to change it," he told ABC radio.
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The focus of debate shouldn't be the coalition's target but instead be how Labor leader Bill Shorten plans to meet his party's 50 per cent target, Senator Birmingham said.
