Barnaby Joyce goes on attack over net zero bill after splitting with Coalition

Barnaby Joyce has come out in full-throated defence of his move to break with the Coalition’s platform and push to discuss dumping net zero targets, saying now is the time for the “vitally important” debate.

Barnaby Joyce has come out in full-throated defence of his move to break with the Coalition’s platform and push for a major discussion to dump net zero targets, saying now is the time for the “vitally important” debate.

Both the Liberals and Nationals have announced post-election that they’ll review their support for net zero, after the Coalition sided with Labor in signing up to a target of net zero emissions by 2050.

But in a break from the party, Mr Joyce said now was the time for public debate, not backroom analysis, with the former deputy Prime Minister introducing a private member’s bill to repeal the target.

“We’ve been down this path before,” Mr Joyce said when asked why he wouldn’t wait for his party’s review.

“(Colleagues say) ‘now’s not the right time, (let’s do it) later on – (but) now (it’s) in the middle (of an election cycle) … Now’s too close to an election, you can’t talk about it’. Guess what? Now is the time to talk about it.”

Barnaby Joyce MP holds a doorstop press conference in the press gallery at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Joyce said he was sticking up for voters he claimed were being hit with higher energy bills in the transition to net zero.

“We are their emissary in Canberra. We are not their prince that goes back and tells them the edicts of Canberra …(this bill is for) any person in the western suburbs of Sydney dealing with a power bill.

“It’s how many shops you have to go into, and they say, ‘mate, 40 per cent of my costs are power’. I will not survive in business. You have to do something about it’.”

Questioned on whether his stance would be damaging for the leadership of Nationals chief David Littleproud, Mr Joyce said his gripe was “about net zero, it’s not about leadership”.

Mr Littleproud on Wednesday said he respected the rights of MPs to move private member’s bills, but said his stance on issues was informed by the entire party, not “grandstanding” individuals.

Barnaby Joyce MP holds a doorstop press conference in the press gallery at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“It’s been the decision of the collective, entrusting the collective. That’s leadership. It’s not grandstanding as an individual but saying, trust the party room and trusting the collective,” he said.

Labor has already seized on the prospect of disunity in the Coalition, with Energy Minister Chris Bowen in a statement saying “while the world moves forward on climate action, the Coalition still wants to take the country backwards”.

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Originally published as Barnaby Joyce goes on attack over net zero bill after splitting with Coalition