Nationals back Scott Morrison’s net zero emissions plan

The Nationals back Scott Morrison’s plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 after securing concessions for regions.

Nationals Bridget McKenzie, left, Kevin Hogan, Barnaby Joyce, Keith Pitt and David Littleproud at Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday. Picture: Gary Ramage

The Nationals have backed Scott Morrison’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 after securing concessions from the Liberal Party over stronger safeguards for regional communities and jobs, with cabinet likely to rubber-stamp the Glasgow climate package on Monday.

The net-zero decision — one-week out from the UN climate change conference in Glasgow — came after 48 hours of negotiations between the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to land a united position on the government’s long-term emissions reduction strategy.

Following a two-hour Nationals partyroom meeting on Sunday, Mr Joyce would not reveal the terms of agreement but The Australian understands Mr Morrison has guaranteed clearer safeguard mechanisms would be enforced to protect vulnerable regional communities and industries.

The Prime Minister was also considering whether the Nationals should receive an extra cabinet position, with Resources Minister Keith Pitt tipped to return. The Nationals previously held five cabinet spots under former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The Nationals were also likely to be handed ministerial responsibilities to execute and promote the government’s net-zero agenda in regional Australia.

Mr Joyce said the Nationals had agreed in-principle to support a pathway to net zero by 2050 pending a cabinet decision this week endorsing their conditions. A new cabinet submission will be drawn up on Monday before a final decision is ratified ahead of Mr Morrison travelling to the COP26 summit.

Mr Joyce — who was due to have dinner with Mr Morrison on Sunday night following the Nationals’ — decision said they wanted to ensure the “people of regional Australia are in a better position than the terms and process that was initially delivered to us”.

“Heroics that have no outcome, heroics that leave nothing but a rhetorical flourish, that leave the person who’s hurting in the same position that they were is not an outcome that the Nationals partyroom supported,” he said.

“We understand fully so many supporters who have concerns, so many supporters who have conveyed those concerns to our office; we also acknowledge people who had a different position and I think that position is reflected by the decision that we’ve taken here.”

Mr Morrison welcomed the Nationals “in-principle support” to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century and said the matter would now be “finally considered and determined by cabinet”.

“We recognise this has been a challenging issue for the Nationals. I greatly respect the process they have undertaken in reaching this decision,” Mr Morrison said.

“Only the Coalition can be trusted to deliver a plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 that will protect and promote rural and regional Australia.”

Mr Morrison said helping regional Australia “grow and prosper is a core objective of any ¬Coalition government and this will be central to our plan”.

“Australia will continue to reduce emissions while keeping our economy growing, maintaining affordable, reliable energy and ensuring our regions remain strong. That’s our Australian way,” he said.

While there was no vote, between 12 and 13 of the 21 Nationals MPs were understood to have supported the net zero deal. Of those opposed to net zero, most believed Mr Joyce’s negotiated agreement would be a good outcome.

After striking a deal with the Nationals, the Morrison government is preparing to release emissions projections showing Australia will exceed its Paris 2030 target, details of the long-term emissions reduction strategy, its Future Fuels electric vehicle plan and an updated technology investment road map.

With the Nationals expected to face pressure from One Nation, Katter’s Australian Party and Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party in central Queensland seats, Mr Joyce said his message to voters in regional areas concerned about a net zero target was they had negotiated conditions that would protect rural communities.

“I would say to people in regional Australia, I understand, I understand completely some of the sentiments that are held there. I understand completely the suspicions at times that are held there,” he said.

“But I say to you as earnestly as I can, there is no way we can deal with any of those if we are outside the tent. There is no way we can deal with any of those beyond ¬reverberating and echoing your concerns from a point of complete and utter irrelevance.”

Mr Joyce said conditions secured by the Nationals were “never ever there before we started negotiations” but conceded it was a “vexed issue” and there were strong feelings on both sides of the argument about whether to adopt a net zero target.

Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud, who played a central role in negotiations alongside Liberal Party deputy leader Josh Frydenberg, said the partyroom had respectfully arrived at a position of “securing but also growing ¬regional jobs into the future”.

The Agriculture Minister said the Nationals were “facing up to our international commitments but making sure we had the safeguards and protections there to ensure that all people in regional Australia can participate”.

“The technology road map that (Energy Minister) Angus Taylor has put together gives us comfort around where that can take us, particularly around protecting the existing jobs that are there and how that technology can in fact grow new regional jobs,” Mr Littleproud said.

Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie said there was no more totemic issue for the party over the past decade than “how to deal with climate change and the realities of how climate policy will impact and play out in the communities we’ve been sent here to represent”.

“It’s not just agriculture. It’s not just mining communities. It is the poorest electorates in the country. And we’ve taken that role very seriously in all our interventions,” she said.

Mr Joyce did not say whether safeguards to protect the regions would be legislated under the deal. “Our position is in favour of a cabinet submission that reflects the negotiated settlement between myself and the Prime Minister. Details of the negotiated settlement will remain private.”

Anthony Albanese on Sunday said Labor would make its short- and medium-term targets known after the COP26 summit. “You’ve waited nine years for this government to come out with a policy. Our policy will be impacted by what comes out of Glasgow,” the Opposition Leader said.

Queensland Nationals senator Susan McDonald said the protections and safeguards secured by the party would help the regions continue to provide “good-paying, stable jobs in mining, agriculture and transport”.