Ex-senator quits Libs, unity urged over climate stoush
A former Liberal senator has left the party, while a current member of the upper house has called for the coalition to remain united while its leader sets climate and energy policies.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has suggested building new coal-fired power stations is unlikely under a future coalition government after her party’s decision to abandon its net zero target.
Hollie Hughes, a senator until the May election, said she supported Ms Ley amid internal criticism of the opposition leader and speculation about her leadership.
“I am no longer able to support Sussan in the Party Room; I believe I can best support her and good and influential members of the Party Room from outside the Party,” Ms Hughes said in a Facebook post announcing her resignation from the Liberals. he said.
Since announcing the Liberal party’s new policy last week, Ms Ley and energy spokesman Dan Tehan have left the door open to subsidizing new coal generators.
But in a statement on Tuesday, Ms Ley said the scheme could “in theory” support new coal-fired power plants, but in practice this would be unlikely unless the finances stack up.
Party members slammed Ms Ley’s decision to abandon net-zero emissions by 2050 as a major concession to the party’s conservative factions and the National Party.
Senator Andrew Bragg warned on Tuesday of the “fragmentation of the centre-right” on climate change policy and urged party members who oppose scrapping the 2050 target to remain within the party.
“This result is not a reason to leave the party,” the Liberal senator said. he said.
“The Liberal party has a long history of cleaning up Labour’s mess, and there is no doubt that whatever policy we are ultimately elected on, we will have to do it again when it comes to energy,” Senator Bragg said.
Both Senator Bragg and Ms Hughes referenced the name of the architect of the modern Liberal party in their statements.
Senator Bragg said “Robert Menzies founded the Liberal Party to unite voices outside the Labor Party and prevent such fragmentation”, and Ms Hughes thanked “those who supported me and continue to support Menzies’ values”.
