Llew O’Brien backs Matt Canavan as new Nationals leader, says duo ‘calling bulls—t’ on Paris Agreement

Llew O’Brien has flagged his vote for Matt Canavan over David Littleproud, saying the Paris Agreement targets were ‘not in Australia’s interest’.

Matt Canavan, David Littleproud and Llew O'Brien. Pictures: NewsWire

Queenslander Llew O’Brien has backed Matt Canavan to lead the Nationals ahead of a partyroom vote on Monday, saying the pair were calling “bulls — t’ on the Paris Agreement” as he urged the Coalition to dump support for net-zero targets.

Mr O’Brien, who has held the regional seat of Wide Bay since 2016, said he would support Senator Canavan’s challenge against incumbent leader David Littleproud when the party meets in Canberra on Monday.

While he considers Mr Littleproud “a friend”, who has done “outstanding work”, Mr O’Brien said he shared Senator Canavan’s sentiment that the Paris Agreement targets were “not in Australia’s interest”.

“Labor’s plan for an 82 per cent renewable energy grid is already proving to be unreliable, unaffordable, and incapable of supporting a modern industrial economy,” he said.

“When every segment of the energy market – generation, transmission, components, and even the consumers – must be propped up with taxpayer subsidies, and prices are still among the highest in the world, the failure of the government’s energy policy is plain to see.”

Mr O’Brien, whose seat covers Maryborough and Gympie north of the Sunshine Coast, has been vocal about the Coalition’s brutal election loss, earlier this week describing the campaign as a “giant f*** up”.

In his statement, Mr O’Brien labelled Labor’s facilitation of uranium and coal exports as “sheer hypocrisy”.

“Labor governments are happy to accept coal and uranium royalties to fund their budgets but refuse to let Australian families and businesses benefit from the same resources,” he wrote.

Senator Canavan in parliament. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“There are better, more responsible ways to secure our nation’s energy future than flattening agricultural land with solar panels, building intrusive wind farms, or carving up the countryside with high-voltage transmission lines.”

In 2021, the Nationals reluctantly backed Scott Morrison’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, despite strong opposition from Queensland MPs.

Flynn MP Colin Boyce, who bucked the nationwide swing to Labor at the election, has also called on the Coalition to dump its net zero emissions policy.

Mr O’Brien said in an “era of growing global instability” it would not be the “nations that more faithfully implement the socialist green-left’s doctrine that emerge stronger”.

“It will be the most resilient and self-reliant,” he wrote.

“Aspiring to make the world a better place is something we all support – but the Paris Agreement and net zero targets will not deliver that outcome.”

Senator Canavan launched an appeal to his National colleagues on Friday to fight for themselves and their base in the face of Liberal Party losses and the defection of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price to the bigger Coalition partner.

“David Littleproud can be enormously proud of his role in defeating the voice, putting nuclear power on the agenda, and having divestiture powers adopted as Coalition policy for the first time,” Mr Canavan, a former resources minister, said.

“But this debate is not about protecting his job or mine. This is about fighting for the jobs and livelihoods of the many people we represent. Many of the people that vote for the Nationals party have to shower after work, not before it.

“Our plan should be based on how we can save the country, not save the party. I am standing for my party’s leadership so that I can tell my kids I did everything I could to fight for a better life for them.”