Warning for Liberals on net zero as axing calls grow
The coalition is unlikely to remain in power for another decade if the Liberals follow the National Party in abandoning its commitments to net zero emissions by 2050, an expert warns.
The National Party voted unanimously over the weekend to remove the target from the party’s official platform, setting up a potential clash with the Liberals.
Moderate Liberal MPs defended the party’s continued support for the target, while Conservatives called on leader Sussan Ley to recant the pledge.
Kos Samaras, founder of research firm Redbridge, said if the coalition abandoned its climate commitment it risked losing much-needed votes from young Australians following the election shakeup in May.
“The way things are going politically, they won’t be in government in the next 10 years,” Mr Samaras told AAP.
“The coalition secures only 15 to 16 percent of Gen Z voters in this country.
“This whole saga will continue to put more nails in their coffin when it comes to talking to young Australians.”
Ms Ley said the Nationals had the right to take their own position on net zero.
“I said the Nationals would make their decisions in their party room and the Liberals would similarly decide in our party room,” Ms Ley told reporters at Parliament House on Monday.
Liberal frontrunner Andrew Bragg called for some protection of the target, stressing that Australia must meet its international obligations.
“The Paris Agreement requires you to get to net zero in the second half of this century,” Senator Bragg told Sky News.
“I don’t think it’s beyond the realm of possibility for Australia to be able to achieve that.”
But Liberal supporter Sarah Henderson hopes her colleagues will back the National Party’s position and “turn our backs completely on Labour’s terrible net zero laws”.
Backbencher Rick Wilson called on the opposition to get rid of the target and said the large O’Connor electorate in south-east WA was “ground zero for net zero”.
Debating maverick Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce’s net zero scrapping bill in parliament on Monday, Mr Wilson said he was disappointed that farmland was being converted into renewable energy projects.
Mr Joyce, who has said he intends to quit the Nationals due to frustration over net zero, said despite the target being lowered he still had more to do before deciding on his political future.
As divisions within the opposition reached their peak, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would “leave the coalition to its own chaos and infighting”.
He acknowledged that electricity prices and the cost of living were affecting households, but placed some of the blame on the former government.
“What has happened with electricity prices is a product of the dysfunction and chaos that exists in the coalition; 24 out of 28 coal-fired power stations have announced their closure,” the Prime Minister told reporters in Canberra.
“They had no plans to do anything other than fight each other, and that continues today.”
The National Party’s stance has pushed the party out of the Australian Business Council and the National Farmers’ Federation but leader David Littleproud said he would not take “undue advice” from others.
The party argued that Australia was doing its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that the country’s targets should be brought to the average among similar countries.
Mr Littleproud said he would not pressure the Liberal Party to abandon its commitment.
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