Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh distances party from Federal Nationals

Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh has doubled down on calls for more climate action, saying the party is ‘very separate from our federal colleagues’.

Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh has previously said the Nats would not sign up to net-zero until seeing how much such commitments would cost.

Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh has doubled down on calls for more climate action, further distancing the state party from its federal counterpart.

Mr Walsh was at pains to again make clear the distinction between the Victorian Nationals and the federal branch, emphasising that he and his colleagues had already signed up to back net-zero emissions by 2050.

“When you talk about the Nationals and climate change, the Victorian Nationals are very separate from our federal colleagues,” Mr Walsh said.

“Our state conferences have had motions supporting more action on climate, so don’t brand us with our federal colleagues on this particular issue please.”

Mr Walsh made the remarks during a Farmers for Climate Action webinar last week, which was held to launch a new report that found agriculture could reach net-zero by 2040 without reducing herd size.

Farmers could also earn up to $43 billion extra income for themselves through carbon farming measures, the report by consultancy firm EY stated.

Tensions between the Victorians Nats and the Federal Party have been high since Barnaby Joyce returned as Nationals leader in July, following a push from Mr Joyce’s allies who wanted the party to take a harder stance against a net-zero target.

Mr Walsh said at the time that Victoria had “a different view on climate change to what’s being espoused by our Queensland colleagues” and wanted the federal MPs to embrace a net-zero commitment ahead of United Nations climate talks in November.

Mr Joyce has previously said the Nats would not sign up to net-zero until seeing how much such commitments would cost, particularly for agriculture and regional Australia.

Mr Walsh last week said he did not think that was the way to drive debate forward.

“I’ve said to him, as deputy prime minister, you are in a very opportune spot to help agriculture … and make sure there’s a framework that doesn’t disadvantage people but actually delivers the right outcome,” he said.

Mr Walsh called for a Federal Government framework to co-ordinate climate action and give people parameters to work within.

That view was echoed by National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson, who said the government needed to set a target everyone could work towards.

“There’s a lot of political mileage being made from this not setting the target, whereas if we actually set the target then all the other work going on around the research, the technology, the things that are going to help farmers and that we absolutely need help with … then I think we could just all get on with it,” she said.