Barnaby Joyce defends splitting from Coalition on net zero ‘crusade’

The man leading a backbench rebellion in the Coalition on net zero has explained why he is doing it.

Nationals maverick Barnaby Joyce has defended his backbench rebellion on net zero, decrying the opposition’s embrace of the 2050 target as a “singular crusade” that he never voted for.

Mr Joyce will introduce a private member’s bill to repeal net zero and has gained the support of fellow former party leader Michael McCormack.

Both MPs were banished to the backbench after the Liberals and Nationals had their brief post-election split – a move Nationals leader David Littleproud at the time put down to “generational change”.

But up the back, neither of the heavyweights need to follow the party line, posing a real threat to Mr Littleproud’s tenuous authority and Liberal leader Sussan Ley’s efforts to project a modern, united opposition.

Cornered by reporters in a press gallery hallway, Mr Joyce was asked on Wednesday why he was rehashing a conversation that Australians had already had at two federal elections.

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce is leading a backbench rebellion on net zero. Picture: Martin Ollman / NewsWire

“No one can dispute power prices are going through the roof,” he said.

“No one can dispute that the power grid is becoming unreliable.”

He also pointed to geopolitical turbulence, saying that Australia’s place in the world has “become vastly more precarious”.

“No one can dispute that you need a strong economic base if you want to defend our nation,” Mr Joyce said.

“And we are trying to achieve net zero – something that neither Russia nor China nor the United States, nor Indonesia nor Brazil or the majority of African countries or Southeast Asian nations are part of.

“You’re in the minority group here, the minority of people in the globe, the vast majority of the GDP of the globe.”

He went on to say that “even if you believe every chapter, verse of what net zero was going to achieve, it’s not going to achieve it because the world’s not participating in it”.

“So why are we on this sort of singular crusade by ourselves that has no effect on the climate but incredibly deleterious to the standard of living and the cost of living with the Australian people.

“It’s insane.”

‘Virile’

Ms Ley has committed to a nothing guaranteed post-election review of policies as the Coalition rebuilds its platform, save for a handful of key demands from the Nationals.

The exceptions include divestiture powers for supermarkets, nuclear power, a regional Australia fund and greater telecommunications coverage.

But net zero, Ms Ley has made clear, will stay on.

Nationals heavyweights Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack are pushing their party to scrap its net-zero stance. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Dallinger

Appearing on Sky later on Wednesday, opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan likened Mr Joyce and Mr McCormack to “two steers in a paddock”.

Invoking his rural upbringing, Mr Tehan said “when two steers are fighting in the neighbour’s paddock, let them fight … let the owner know, and they’ll sort all that out”.

“Meanwhile, you just get on doing your job, and that’s what I’m doing,” he said.

“We’ve obviously set up a process. It’s an incredibly important process under Susan Ley’s stewardship.”

Appearing just after Mr Tehan, Mr McCormack took issue with his Coalition’s colleague, characterising him as a penned animal, speaking to the deep divides undermining the parties.

“Dan Tehan this morning calling me a steer and Barnaby a steer – we’re not gelded, we’re not emasculated,” he said.

“We’re very much virile and out there.”