Liberal rivals gang up on near-terminal Sussan Ley to blow up net zero
In a symbolic flex, the conservative faction led by Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price marched as a pack into the Liberal partyroom meeting.
The national joke, otherwise known as the Liberals’ net-zero pantomime, brought together leadership aspirants who could make a move on Ley sooner rather than later.
A list of Liberal MPs who voted against net zero will be viewed as the likely grouping that could unseat Ley if the party’s first female leader cannot recover.
Some who voted for net zero, including Jane Hume, wouldn’t be expected to vote for Ley in a leadership contest.
Taylor, Hastie, Ted O’Brien and Melissa McIntosh have publicly and privately indicated their leadership ambitions. Taylor remains the frontrunner among conservatives.
The factionless O’Brien, Ley’s deputy leader, has been hitting the phones explaining to colleagues how he would sell an anti-net-zero position. Hastie and McIntosh may have to wait for their crack.
Tim Wilson, who proved it was not impossible to reclaim an inner-city seat from a Climate 200-backed teal independent, is a leading moderate leadership candidate but would be deeply concerned about dumping net zero.
After too many post-election meetings and backroom conversations, the Liberals’ net zero “showdown” on Wednesday turned into an almost five-hour gabfest with no fireworks.
It was clear last week that a majority of the Liberal partyroom supported dumping net zero and taking up the fight to Anthony Albanese on higher power bills, energy reliability concerns and negative net zero transition impacts. Which begs the question: How many meetings does it take to change a policy based on an aspirational target eight election cycles away?
Ley and Dan Tehan strung out the net-zero policy decision for too long. After Wednesday’s marathon partyroom deliberations, Liberal shadow cabinet members, including a large rump of senior moderates who backed Ley for the leadership and are furious about dropping net zero, will meet again on Thursday. On Sunday, Liberals and Nationals MP will gather for a joint-partyroom meeting where it is hoped a final Coalition position can be finalised.
Incredibly, Ley left it to Tehan to update Australians on the Liberals’ net zero position.
Tehan handed out a one-page explainer detailing the Liberals’ 10 “energy and emissions reduction foundational and guiding principles” before cutting his press conference short when peppered with questions seeking specific policy details.
The Coalition has vacated the field as a credible opposition and allowed the Albanese government to quietly roll out major policy announcements without forensic examination.
They haven’t laid a glove on Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who is steaming ahead with Labor’s net zero transition and renewables revolution.
On energy, immigration, national security, housing, the ballooning public service, foreign affairs and economic policy, Labor is getting away with whatever it wants.
Australians cannot take the Coalition seriously until the Liberals and Nationals sort out their differences and escape an election-losing echo chamber.
If the rot continues beyond the weekend, One Nation’s supporter base will keep growing and Albanese will govern with impunity and limited transparency.
Ley has a short window to recover her position. But the clock is ticking.
More Coverage
SA Liberals to avoid bloodletting in leadership vote
Sussan Ley’s leadership is approaching terminal status after her rivals joined forces to blow up the Liberal Party’s policy for net zero emissions by 2050 and reclaim conservative control of the partyroom.