Tony Abbott's views on fossil fuels, renewable energy and climate change differ strongly from those of Pope Francis, but Catholic bishops believe the prime minister is not beyond redemption.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Denis Hart thinks the Pope's groundbreaking encyclical on climate change should prompt the catholic Mr Abbott and other political leaders to re-examine their positions.
Pope Francis wants rich nations like Australia to bear responsibility for creating the climate change problem and is imploring world leaders to act quickly to save the planet.
He says humans must cut reliance on fossil fuels and embrace renewable energy.
Mr Abbott recently boasted of reducing Australia's renewable energy target as much as possible, and has lauded coal as good for humanity.
Archbishop Hart says Mr Abbott's past views should remain there.
"I think we have to take comments as of today rather than as of yesterday," he told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.
"That's why I'm suggesting that our leaders should analyse the situation and look at what the pope's seeing.
"This is the whole point of the encyclical - he wants us to see things in a new light."
Mr Abbott did not speak about the encyclical during his visit to north Queensland on Friday.
But senior Liberal Malcolm Turnbull says it was written by a man of global moral leadership.
Asked whether he and the prime minister should give great weight to the Pope's view, Mr Turnbull told the ABC: "I think everyone will".
The Australian Conservation Foundation described the encyclical as a game-changer.
"Tony Abbott is a man of faith and I would expect the Pope's statement to have a bigger impact on him than me, or perhaps scientists, telling him about climate change," ACF chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy told AAP.
She hopes it will build momentum for binding restrictions on carbon emissions at global talks in Paris later this year.
"There are a number of religious people in cabinet. I do hope they listen to what the Pope is saying, which is based on science and the common good," Ms O'Shanassy said.
Conservation group WWF says the encyclical shows climate change is no longer just a scientific issue, it is increasingly a moral and ethical one.
Share
