Susan Ley tipped to dump net zero as Angus Taylor consolidates support among conservatives
The move aims to secure Sussan Ley’s leadership and unite the Coalition, as conservative MPs back Angus Taylor to lead the party to the next election.
Sussan Ley is expected to dump a net zero emissions target in an aim to safeguard her leadership and keep the Coalition united, as conservative MPs back Angus Taylor to lead the party to the next election.
Senior Liberals MPs say they believe it is increasingly likely the Opposition Leader will move to junk a net zero target from the Coalition’s agenda, after top conservatives united against the climate change goal in a meeting of the Liberal leadership group on Sunday night.
But moderate MPs are arguing Ms Ley’s leadership group was “not representative” of the party room and there would be fierce opposition and frontbench resignations if net zero were dropped completely.
While a group of conservative MPs is supporting Andrew Hastie to replace Ms Ley at some stage this term, there is growing consensus among the Right that Mr Taylor is a more viable option to win a party room ballot if the polls do not improve.
Mr Hastie, who would run if a leadership spill was called, promoting himself as “generational change”, suffered a shift of internal support away from him after he last week opposed paid-parental leave for women who received late-term abortions.
Furious moderate MPs are expecting a strike from Mr Taylor at some stage next year given the Coalition’s dire 24 per cent primary support in Newspoll.
Moderates claim Mr Taylor did not voice his support for dumping net zero at a meeting of about 30 Liberal MPs on Friday, believing the decision to oppose the goal on Sunday was aimed at securing internal support for an eventual tilt at the leadership.
However, conservative MPs say that if Ms Ley dumps net zero it would give her enough breathing space to make in to 2026 as party leader and have a chance to turn the polls around.
Moderate MPs are preparing to fight a push to dump the words “net zero” from the party’s formal policy platform, arguing there is as much support within the Liberal party room to retain a version of net zero and it is popular with voters. But if Ms Ley does jettison net zero, some moderate MPs are worried that coming out too hard against the decision may undermine her leadership and make it easier for her to be replaced by Mr Taylor.
“He has got all the cards,” one moderate said.
Mr Taylor was energy minister under former prime minister Scott Morrison, who endorsed Australia committing to net zero by 2050 in the Paris agreement.
Senior Liberals say a decision has not been made to dump net zero, but momentum is growing to develop a policy that would endorse reducing emissions without a firm commitment to a carbon-neutral target.
One moderate MP conceded it had become harder to retain net zero given “sensible” conservatives had come out against it in Sunday’s leadership group, while another said Ms Ley would never win an election if she walked away from the commitment.
After the Nationals formally dumped net zero on Sunday, a meeting of the Liberal leadership group discussed the way forward for a party that is grappling with fighting off challenges from One Nation in the regions and the teal independents in the cities.
Conservatives in the meeting in Canberra on Sunday night – Mr Taylor, Michaelia Cash, Jonathon Duniam and James Paterson – all spoke out in favour of dumping net zero.
Sources said the conservative leaders – who were yet to voice strong opposition to net zero until this point – were influenced by wanting to keep the Coalition united after the Nationals came out against the target. Sources at the meeting said the only person who was firmly in favour of retaining net zero was South Australian moderate Anne Ruston.
The Opposition Leader mostly listened to contributions from other members of the room but declared her support for keeping the Coalition together under a united position.
Deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien and centre-right factional powerbroker Alex Hawke were less definitive about their view, while sources said Queensland moderate leader James McGrath also supported dumping net zero.
Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan noted the internal debate was about whether to retain the words “net zero”, but did not voice opposition towards dumping it.
On Monday morning, Mr Tehan said he was hopeful of landing a united Coalition policy by Christmas.
He said it was no surprise the Nationals came out against net zero on Sunday.
“We have had very respectful, very good conversations … it has been a process where we have given each other a lot of respect,” Mr Tehan told ABC radio.
Several moderate MPs, including Liberal senator Dave Sharma, on Sunday declared Ms Ley should be open to splitting from the Nationals amid anger that the junior Coalition party was attempting to force the Liberals to oppose net zero.
But any push for a split among moderates would be void if Ms Ley dud dump net zero, as there would be little difference between the position of the Liberals and Nationals.
Ms Ley said on Monday she had had a “very convivial conversation” with Nationals leader David Littleproud on how the Coalition could come together over the energy policy.
“I’m looking forward to the work that will happen between now and the Liberal Party’s position becoming known, and then us sitting down together as two mature parties developing something that takes the fight up to the Labor Party,” the Opposition Leader said.
Moderate Andrew Bragg suggested a potential compromise to keep net zero in the Coalition’s platform, saying the Paris Agreement required signatories to reach carbon neutrality by the “second half of this century”.
“You can get to net zero at some stage this century,” Senator Bragg told Sky News.
“I think that’s a starting point, and we should be doing things on Australia’s terms, rather than having them dictate it to us.
“So I don’t think that we’ve exhausted all avenues here.”
Conservative MP Tony Pasin said he believed there was room for the Coalition to take a harder line than the Nationals position, which would link Australia’s emissions-reductions goals with what was being achieved by OECD nations.
Mr Pasin said he would rather the goal be linked to the emissions-reduction achievements of the world, including developing nations.
“I’ve been advocating for Australia to effectively cap its emissions at 1 per cent of global emissions,” Mr Pasin told Sky News.
“We don’t want to lead the world.
“We want to meet our obligations in line with what the rest of the world is doing.”
West Australian MP Rick Wilson on Monday became the latest Liberal to speak in favour of former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce’s bill to repeal the target for net zero by 2050.
“The only thing we’re on track for is impoverishing our great country, for no gain to the global climate,” Mr Wilson said.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout