Cormann coy on emissions target talk

Federal cabinet minister Mathias Cormann isn't buying into reports a ginger group of conservative Liberals is demanding the government not sign up to new carbon emissions reduction targets.

The finance minister confirmed there was talk inside the party about the issue ahead of a federal council meeting this weekend which will consider a motion calling on the government to resist signing a binding post-2020 agreement at the Paris climate change talks later in the year.

"Let's see what is decided after the discussion's being had," he told Sky News on Thursday.