Barnaby Joyce won’t tie Nationals position on emissions to Liberal stance

Taking action on climate change is a matter of national security Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Liberal MPs, confirming his intention to adopt a net zero emissions by 2050 target.

Taking action on climate change is a matter of national security Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Liberal MPs, confirming his intention to adopt a net zero emissions by 2050 target.

During a briefing to the Liberal party room on the federal government’s net zero plan, Mr Morrison said there were strong economic and security reasons Australia needed to become carbon neutral.

Sources familiar with the meeting said Mr Morrison argued a net zero by 2050 target was important for Australia’s standing in the world, particularly at a time when the country needed to rely on Western allies.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has argued climate change action is important for Australia’s national security. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor lead a presentation outlining the government’s plan, and confirmed there would not be an update to the 2030 target of a 26 to 28 per cent emissions reduction on 2005 levels.

Mr Taylor told the meeting the government would take new projections to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow next month showing Australia would exceed its 2030 target.

Queensland senator Gerard Rennick spoke out against net zero and argued the government was caving to the left.

Sources said NSW members Andrew Bragg, Hollie Hughes and Melissa McIntosh were among those supportive of the plan.

Meanwhile the Nationals are continuing to discuss their position, after a four-hour meeting on Sunday yielded no final decision on the climate target.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says the Nationals won’t be rushed on net zero. Picture: Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said on Monday the Nationals would not race to a decision.

“This is not something we can allow to happen in a great rush,” he said. Labor leader Anthony Albanese said he expected the Coalition “will land net zero by 2050” but “unless it’s legislated it can’t be taken seriously”.

Mr Albanese said Labor would unveil its plan to reach net zero by 2050 after the Glasgow summit.

NATIONALS FAIL TO MAKE NET ZERO DEAL

A marathon four-hour meeting was not enough for the Nationals to make a call on net zero emissions by 2050, as tensions flared over one of the “biggest decisions” the regional party ever has to make.

Nationals MPs and Senators gathered for a special party room meeting in Canberra on Sunday where they were briefed on the government’s net zero proposal by Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor.

But after debating the issue for well into Sunday night, Deputy Nationals leader and Agriculture Minister David Littleproud confirmed the party had been unable to come to a final position, as there were “still some more questions” that needed to be answered.

“You’ve got to take your time to get it right,” he said.

Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud says the party will take its time arriving at a position on net zero emissions by 2050. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“This will probably be one of the biggest decisions, many of us will have to make while we‘re here (in parliament), so we want to make sure we get it right.”

Mr Littleproud insisted there was a “lot of respect” for the “divergent” views in the room.

He also moved to allay fears Nationals backing net zero by 2050 would mean the end of jobs in traditional industries like agriculture and coal mining.

“If you’re a coal miner in central Queensland, you shouldn’t be shuddering in your boots tonight, you’re still going to have a job,” he said.

“We’re gonna see … coal exports go well into the 2040s, probably the 2050s, so this is more about, what does it look like in 30 years time.”

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce will chair a Nationals meeting discussing a net zero emissions by 2050 proposal. Picture: Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire

Mr Taylor described it as a “constructive and collegiate discussion” about the future of regional Australia, “traditional industries” and the jobs and communities that relied on them.

“There was a strong joint commitment to policies that strengthen our regions – not weaken them,” he said.

“It was also clear that there was absolutely no appetite for policies that impact jobs or add to costs of living through an explicit carbon tax or a sneaky carbon tax. Which we wont be doing.”

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Joyce said the junior Coalition partner would make their own decision on net zero and not be held hostage by what “other people wish”.

“We are not in the Liberal Party room,” he said. “We are the Nationals. We will not be held hostage (by) what other people wish.”

Mr Joyce said he would not “dictate” the party’s stance to his colleagues, and instead act as the “impartial chair” of the meeting.

“The room can say yes, no, maybe,” he said.

“That is up to the room.

“I want to make sure that in an impartial way we gauge the sentiment of the room, give the right opportunity for those to ask questions that they think need to be asked.”

Mr Joyce said there wouldn’t be a formal vote on whether to support the plan or not.

“I think that generally in these meetings, people understand the temperature of the room,” he said.

“People will see the room and people will have an opportunity to have input and in outcomes they’ll want see their input and if they do, people will be pretty happy with that.”

Asked if he perceived any appetite in his party room for increasing the government’s 2030 emissions targets, Mr Joyce said “at this stage no”.

“I’m trying to give you an honest view and give you an appraisal of where I see other people, and that is my appraisal,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce arrives at Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday afternoon ahead of a party room meeting on net zero emissions. Picture: Gary Ramage / NCA NewsWire

Mr Joyce agreed Australia’s coal mining industry was ultimately subjected to global demands, but argued currently there was still an export market for the sector.

“Right now, we have record (coal) prices, and record (export) volumes,” he said.

“That is the reality. “

Mr Joyce said the “truth” of the demand for coal was in the ships floating off the coast of ports like Newcastle.

“When those ships don’t turn up, or when they start slowing down … of course that is the world global market, but right now that is not the case.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will attend the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow later this month. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday announced he would attend the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow at the end of October, and indicated he would have a net zero policy to take with him.

“The government will be finalising its position for me to take to that summit prior to my departure over the next fortnight,” Mr Morrison said.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham on Sunday denied the government’s climate policies would be dictated by the conservative forces within the Coalition.

“The government is deciding the government’s climate change policy, the government comprises all of our members — Liberal members, National Party members, LNP, CLP, et cetera,” Mr Birmingham told Sky News.

“So we bring together people right across the country to be able to effectively consider all of the implications in issues.”

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham says the Nationals won’t dictate the Liberals’ climate policy. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Birmingham said other nations were “already making decisions” that would have impacts on Australia, which was why the country needed to “invest” and position itself to “take advantage of opportunities”.

Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan does not support net zero emissions by 2050. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, who has staunchly opposed a net zero emissions by 2050 target, took to Twitter suggesting current support for hydrogen as a replacement for fossil fuels would not last.

“How many years do you give it until the green people start running nimby campaigns about how unsafe hydrogen is,” he wrote.

“They did it with nuclear.

“Because if you think nuclear is unsafe, wait til you hear about hydrogen.”

Labor’s finance spokeswoman Katy Gallagher accused Mr Morrison of attempting to “wrangle a last minute deal” with the National Party to figure out “what they actually stand for”.

“The government needs to govern, they are in charge, they need to agree to net zero, they need to legislate that target and they need to set medium targets – that is the minimum that the government should be doing,” Ms Gallagher told ABC’s Insiders.