Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean lashes anti-net zero MPs as ‘weird’

The former NSW treasurer Matt Kean has urged the Coalition to listen to voters, or risk “electoral oblivion” taking aim at prominent MPs.

Former NSW treasurer Matt Kean has lashed his former federal colleagues, saying they risk “electoral oblivion” if the opposition choses to abandon bipartisan support on net zero.

The Liberal state MP turned Climate Change Authority chair unleashed a series of harsh barbs at Coalition MPs, who’ve called for the party to dump net zero.

He labelled MPs with the view as “weird” and warned it would result in “electoral oblivion”.

Mr Kean noted the Coalition had lost seats to “candidates and parties advocating for strong action on climate change” and urged the party to “ignore the noisy forces advocating for fringe policies”.

“Let me say, as the former Liberal Treasurer in the largest economy in the nation, that it is a sign they are heading for electoral oblivion,” he told the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing.

“The Coalition needs to reflect the mood of the Australian public which is clearly saying they want strong and decisive action on climate change in our national interest.

“There are a number of ways they can achieve that and the sooner they start talking about those policies, the sooner of our path back to electoral relevance.”

Former NSW treasurer said the Coalition risked ‘electoral oblivion’ if it chose to abandon its commitment to net zero. Picture: NewsWire/ David Swift

Mr Kean, who passed NSW’s state legislation to cement its net zero targets, also said the CCA was “close” to handing down its recommendation on the highly-anticipated 2035 carbon reduction target, with the body consulting on a figure between 65 to 75 per cent.

Currently Australia must reach net zero by 2050, as per the Paris Climate Accords, with Energy Minister Chris Bowen previously saying he was “confident” Australia would reach the interim 2030 goal of reducing emissions by 43 per cent.

Following the Coalition’s election walloping, which has reduced the opposition to a paltry 43 seats in the lower house, National MPs and prominent members of the Liberal Party’s right called for support for net zero to be dumped.

WA Liberal MP Andrew Hastie said it was a “straitjacket that I’m already getting out of”, while Nationals MPs Matt Canavan and Barnaby Joyce respectively labelled it as “ridiculous” and “utterly untenable”.

WA Liberal MP Andrew Hastie said the Coalition’s commitment to net zero was a ‘straitjacket’. Picture: Richard Dobson/ NewsWire

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has also been vocal against net zero. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Appearing after Mr Kean’s segment, Liberal Flinders MP Zoe McKenzie wouldn’t directly support or rule out abandoning a net zero target, saying the party was reviewing all of its election policies.

However she noted that the Coalition did not prove to be electorally popular, despite keeping it pro-net zero stance.

“As you know we have seen quite clearly that we must have a deeper conversation with the Australian population around the platform of policies we took to the last election and we must understand what they wanted to see done differently,” she said.

Originally published as Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean lashes anti-net zero MPs as ‘weird’