Barnaby Joyce departure sparks push for Nationals’ net zero position deadline

Nationals MPs expect to finalise their position on net zero emissions before Christmas, as Barnaby Joyce’s departure brings the contentious issue to a head.

Nationals MPs are hopeful the party’s position on net zero could be finalised within weeks, with former leader Barnaby Joyce’s impending departure helping to bring the issue to a head.

The Member for New England and former deputy prime minister said on Tuesday he remained a member of the Nationals despite his decision not to recontest the seat at the next election.

He again declined to rule out a defection to One Nation, but admitted he shared ideological overlaps with the right-wing party including on net zero.

Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien – who says he is prepared to leave the party if the policy is at odds with his values and principles – said he expected a position to be finalised by Christmas, and possibly by the end of the next sitting fortnight.

“We are in control of our destiny … We need to be able to tell our constituents and base what we stand for,” he said.

Queensland senator Matt Canavan has been leading an internal review into the policy, but when asked when that might be finalised said that was a matter for leader David Littleproud.

“It’s in his hands,” he said.

Mr Littleproud, however, said resolving the issue depended on Senator Canavan and fellow reviewer Ross Cadell.

“That was a process that we all agreed to unanimously, that was the process that as soon as we got that together and they present something to us we’d make a decision,” he said.

Barnaby Joyce (left) and David Littleproud in happier times

“That’s the process that we all agreed to and still want,” he said.

“I don’t think they’re far off, but I suspect it will be before Christmas.”

Mr Littleproud also said that while he didn’t think there were others in his party room who would follow Mr Joyce’s lead, “you never know”.

The Liberal Party are conducting their own review into energy and environmental policy, with a roundtable to be held next Friday to give backbenchers from both Coalition parties a chance to have their say.

But with moderate Liberals agitating for stronger climate action in a bid to hold on to metropolitan seats, many in the party’s right flank and the Nationals believe it will be nearly impossible to find common ground.

MPs from both parties are privately preparing for the possibility of another Coalition split if the two parties cannot agree.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said on Tuesday she was having conversations with her team about energy policy, but discussions were ongoing.

“There’s more consultations due next week when we return to Canberra, to be led by shadow minister Dan Tehan, and everything is progressing well,” she said.

Ms Ley said she was “comfortable with where we’re at in the development of the policy”.

Originally published as Barnaby Joyce departure sparks push for Nationals’ net zero position deadline