Nationals leader David Littleproud all ears on women and climate

Nationals leader David Littleproud says women’s issues and action on climate change are increasingly relevant to voters in the regions, as he begins a ‘listening tour’.

Nationals leader David Littleproud. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Nationals leader David Littleproud says women’s issues and action on climate change are increasingly relevant to voters in the regions, as he begins a “listening tour” of seats that the party holds in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

Mr Littleproud told The Australian the Nationals suffered a significant loss of support among women at the last election, mirroring the image problem faced by inner city Liberals that con­tributed to the election of six new teal independents.

He also warned Nationals MPs who want to leave the Paris Agreement – including Llew O’Brien and Keith Pitt – that such an action would increase interest rates for mortgage holders by a further 3 per cent while lowering commodity prices.

Mr Littleproud said the availability of affordable childcare in the regions would be a key focus for the Nationals, as the tour began in the Victorian town of Mildura on Monday.

“There is a broader perception that we have lost touch with women, their concerns, their aspirations. There were a number of factors that fed into that, rightfully or wrongfully,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Our numbers clearly demonstrated that, while we might have held onto all of our seats, there are emerging threats we saw where women don’t believe we listened well enough.”

He said voters aged between 18 and 54 “left us in droves”.

Nationals deputy leader Perin Davey and Mallee MP Anne Webster will also be part of the listening tour, which Mr Littleproud said would be one of many while he is party leader.

With the Nationals under the leadership of Barnaby Joyce opposing strong action on climate change, Mr Littleproud has left the door open to matching Labor’s 43 per cent by 2030 target at the next election if the Coalition backed legalising nuclear energy.

Mr Littleproud remained critical of Labor legislating its 43 per cent target but fell short of saying he believed a future Coalition government should decrease it.

Climate experts say the Paris Agreement does not allow signatories to set new targets that are lower than previous ones, prompting Mr Pitt to say the ­Coalition should be prepared to exit the treaty.

“You have got to understand, if you do that (leave Paris), there are consequences, whether you want to pay an extra 3 per cent on your interest rates and whether commodity prices go down,” Mr Littleproud said.

“That is the discussion our ­partyroom will have but the primacy of the partyroom trumps any individual.”

Mr Littleproud said there “won’t be a linear line to net zero” but believed Australia would lower emissions by between 35 per cent to 38 per cent without any new policies.

He said embracing emerging technologies such as carbon ­capture and storage and nuclear energy would help Australia accelerate reductions in carbon emissions.

“We can solve these problems with technology and still protect regional Australia,” he said.