Coalition infighting over energy policy continues as politicians speak out against net zero
The federal Coalition’s infighting over energy policy is expected to drag on for weeks, with senior party leaders resisting growing pressure to announce a new position.
The federal Coalition’s infighting over energy policy is expected to drag on for weeks, with senior party leaders resisting growing pressure to announce a new position.
With a growing list of MPs publicly revolting against net-zero emission ambitions, the shadow cabinet has no plans to rush the details of the policy it will take to the next election.
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan will also ramp up his push for his party to drop the 2050 target, when he presents an update to his party room about ongoing research he is completing alongside fellow senator Ross Cadell.
Yesterday, Senator Canavan confirmed he had spoken to “a variety of economists, businesses, unions and met with green activists and conservatives” as part of his work, but he had not yet completed any modelling on the cost of scrapping net zero.
“In the time that we’ve had, that (modelling) hasn’t been done yet,” he told the ABC yesterday.
“But the lived reality of net zero is very clear.”
The meeting of Nationals today will not include Barnaby Joyce, who said in a statement he remained in the party but would “not be participating in any party room”.
“The Nationals remain with net zero as a policy which I cannot be part of as it is merely a windfall gain for the super-affluent few at the expense of others for no climate effect at all,” Mr Joyce said.
Nationals leader David Littleproud has also indicated he would not be receptive to Barnaby Joyce’s input in parliament if the former leader joined One Nation.
“He was elected as a National, we want him to remain a National, and I believe everybody can make that contribution in our party room in a constructive way,” Mr Littleproud told Sky News.
“We all have the opportunity to put forward our views around policy, and that’s what you can do, and he’ll have another two and a half years to be able to do that if he decides to come back to the party room.”
Earlier, Mr Joyce revealed he would miss an important meeting with his National Party colleagues while his position within the party remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, a separate lengthy meeting this Friday will provide Coalition MPs with the opportunity to express their views on the party’s net-zero position.
Most National MPs will not attend due to a diary clash.
Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan is leading a full review into the Coalition’s positions on gas, nuclear, emissions reductions and renewable energy.
One MP told The Daily Telegraph that while the public disagreements over energy were “unhelpful”, there was “no need to make a rushed decision from Opposition, given the next election is years away.
However another Liberal did not agree.
“We have backed net zero at consecutive elections – 2022 under ScoMo (Scott Morrison) and then in May under Peter Dutton,” the MP said.
“It hasn’t done us any favours. How is it serving us?”
Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson and frontbencher Melissa McIntosh are two of the party’s members to speak out against the emissions reduction target in recent days.
Ms Henderson told The Telegraph “there can be no room for compromises”.
“Net zero is driving up power prices, destabilising our energy grid and making no difference to global emissions,” she said.
“If the Coalition is going to win back the trust and faith of Australians, we need to fight this net-zero nonsense with moral clarity and conviction.”
In response to a survey of 1200 constituents in her outer Western Sydney seat of Lindsay, where 65 per cent of voters did not support net zero by 2050, Ms McIntosh said Labor’s current emissions reductions were “hurting families … and ignoring the voices of everyday Australians”.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud have both reserved their positions on the future of the 2050 targets.
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Originally published as Coalition infighting over energy policy continues as politicians speak out against net zero
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