Peta Credlin: Climate policy meeting reveals Liberal Party’s Net Zero rift

As Liberal Party leaders remain divided over Net Zero emissions policy despite agreeing Labor's energy approach is flawed, the opposition is without clear direction on climate action, writs Peta Credlin.

The special meeting of the federal parliamentary Liberal Party to discuss energy and climate agreed that Labor’s energy policy was rubbish but couldn’t agree on whether the Libs should actually drop a commitment to Net Zero, even though it’s Net Zero that’s causing the energy train wreck.

Good on Sussan Ley for going to Tomago to show solidarity with the workers likely to lose their jobs in NSW’s biggest industrial plant; but not for failing to realise that heavy industry can’t be kept alive without the reliable and affordable fossil fuel power that’s long been our only advantage in manufacturing.

Some Libs think the party needs to keep a notional commitment to Net Zero, even if they drop the binding targets, in order to have any chance of winning back seats now held by Teals.

Good on Sussan Ley for going to Tomago to show solidarity with the workers likely to lose their jobs in NSW’s biggest industrial plant. Picture: NewsWire/Damian Shaw

The trouble with any ongoing Net Zero commitment (even one that’s just an “aspiration”) is that it will require some credible pathway to achieving it – and that means abandoning the fossil fuels that we will continue to need to use and export in order to maintain our living standard.

The trouble with opposing Labor’s 2035 emissions reduction target (which the Libs have already announced) but keeping Labor’s firm commitment to Net Zero by 2050 is that even more heroic emissions cuts will be needed.

By holding on to a Net Zero aspiration but rejecting a timetable, the Liberals end up half-pregnant in policy terms and in no-man’s land politically. They squander an opportunity to give voters clarity about what they stand for and forgo the ability to create a contest with Labor about the economic future of this country at a time when, as last week’s inflation data spike shows, our prosperity is fragile.

Why should we be committed to Net Zero when China, India and the US are not?

THUMBS UP

Former climate alarmist Bill Gates who now says stop panicking about a climate catastrophe and focus on more urgent challenges like reducing poverty and tackling disease.

THUMBS DOWN

The Albanese government’s legislation to pay paid parental leave to someone who has an intentional late-term abortion. Yes, you read that right. See drjoannahowe.com.au

Originally published as Peta Credlin: Climate policy meeting reveals Liberal Party’s Net Zero rift