Liberal Party MPs rebelling against Coalition climate change stance, will cross floor on Labor bill

A Tasmanian Liberal MP has vowed to support Labor’s emission target, deepening the Coalition’s fracture on climate change policy.

Peter Dutton is facing a rebellion in the ranks with Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer vowing to cross the floor to support Labor’s 43 per cent emissions reduction target.

As the Albanese government moves to beef-up the legislation to secure the support of the Greens, Ms Archer has revealed she believes it is time to “end the climate change wars”.

“My only job is to represent the people of Bass,” she told ABC Radio on Tuesday, the first day of the new Parliament.

“I have done electorate surveys (and) it is always identified as the number one issue.”

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Bridget Archer, Liberal Member for Bass, has vowed to cross the floor in support of Labor’s emissions reduction target against Peter Dutton’s position on the policy. Picture Kym Smith

And she’s not the only MP considering crossing the floor, with Liberal MP Andrew Bragg in the Senate also considering his options.

But any rebellion is likely to be limited by the fact that the many of the MPs who lost their seats to teal independents at the last election were the moderate MPs most likely to support action on climate change.

Labor is set to receive the support of Liberal MP Bridget Archer but the split support is limited as many moderate Liberals were ousted by teal independents. Picture: Twitter/@Bowenchris

Ms Archer said she also had no issue with reports that Labor wanted to allow flexibility to scale up ambition beyond 43 per cent.

“I think we can fixate on the number,” Ms Archer said. “But I think we need to shift that conversation.”

Ms Archer has crossed the floor on contentious legislation before demonstrating an independent streak.

In the last parliament, she crossed the floor to support an independent bill for a federal integrity commission, after accusing the government of “inertia” over the issue.

Ms Archer said climate change was the number one concern of people in her electorate.

Labor and the Greens are in talks over a deal on a 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has revealed he is open to exceeding the benchmark which could prove the key to securing the Greens support.

“The bill makes it clear that 43 per cent is our minimum commitment and does not prevent our collective efforts delivering even stronger reductions over the coming decade,” Mr Bowen said.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said that Labor’s proposed 43 per cent target was the ‘minimum’ commitment. Picture: Martin Ollman/NCA NewsWire

But the Coalition has seized on the development warning that Labor’s higher 43 per cent emissions reduction target will place a tax on all Australians.

“Once you legislate, you are putting in place a tax,’’ Nationals MP David Littleproud said.

“The safeguards mechanism means you are putting a tax on every Australian,” he said.

Peter Dutton has indicated the Liberal Party will oppose the legislation.