Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has continued Australia’s unfortunate position on climate change by admitting he didn’t even hear Obama’s speech at the G20 summit, according to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I didn’t hear his speech, Barrie,” Mr Hockey said, in response to a question from Barrie Cassidy on the Insiders program.

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“I was in meetings with Finance Ministers. We’re the ones doing the hard work on the treadmill and the leaders, in the case of the President, he is entitled to give a speech and should give a speech at a university.

“I didn’t hear the full context of his statement.”

Is #joehockey for real?! He didn’t catch Obama’s address to students!? #insiders @abctv

— Sarah Wilson (@_sarahwilson_) November 15, 2014

Joe Hockey disagrees climate change is potentially one of the biggest impediments to economic growth. #insiders “Absolutely not”

— Gabrielle Chan (@gabriellechan) November 15, 2014

#insiders #g20 @JoeHockey hasn’t heard @BarackObama‘s speech as he was “doing the hard work on the treadmill”. pic.twitter.com/HM83eo9eu4

— David Marler (@Qldaah) November 15, 2014

The gaffe comes a day after Mr Obama embarrassed Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott by putting climate change back on the agenda at the G20 summit, and also following the PM’s embarrassing and stumbling pening address to the event.

Meantime, the Anglican Archbishop of Polynesia says some G20 leaders refuse to admit the damaging effects of climate change on Pacific Island states.

The Most Reverend Doctor Winston Halapua made the remarks during a sermon in Brisbane on Sunday.

“Humanity’s greed and merciless abuse of the planet Earth, our only common home, is causing immense damage,” Archbishop Halapua said.

“Climate change is impacting on the sea level rising, and causing unpredictable storms, uncontrollable floods.

“For some of us from the Pacific Island states, the truth is as plain as writing on a wall, our land and livelihood are drowning while others refuse to see.”

The climate change issue is likely to be addressed in the final G20 leaders’ communique to be released on Sunday afternoon, although specific actions are expected to be raised.

The Archbishop was in Brisbane to represent the 85 million-strong global Anglican Communion as part of the Oceans of Justice campaign, a worldwide campaign led by the Anglican Alliance calling on the G20 to discuss climate change.

He was speaking at St Augustine’s Anglican Church in the inner northeast suburb of Hamilton.