Liberal Partyroom to Cast Decisive Vote on Net Zero Emissions Policy

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The Liberal Party is determined to forge “its own way” on net zero as politicians thrash out their policy position in Canberra.

Liberal politicians have returned from their electorates and descended upon Parliament House for a party room meeting at midday, where members will discuss their approach to the issue.

The commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 was initially signed up to by then-prime minister Scott Morrison, before the Albanese government legislated the target in 2022.

However, it has come to a head after the Nationals axed the target earlier this month. Net zero is also believed to have been a factor in the Nationals-Liberals break-up in May.

As the political scene heats up in Canberra, deep divisions within the party are becoming increasingly evident. This is particularly highlighted by western Sydney MP Melissa McIntosh, who is calling for the dismantling of certain policies.

“This is not anti-environmental, anti-climate. It is pro-reality,” she told reporters.

“We need to bring down energy prices, we need to have a better pathway for our nation, and we need to be listening to the Australian people, who are now telling us loud and clear that the current energy policy of the Albanese Labor government, a renewables-only focus on targets, is killing Australians.”

The federal government has committed to achieving net zero by 2050 — meaning the amount of greenhouse gases released will be balanced by those removed from the atmosphere — and is pursuing an interim target of a 62 to 70 per cent reduction by 2035, compared to 2005 levels.

Meanwhile, conservative South Australian senator Leah Blyth has taken a strong stance against the goal of net zero emissions by 2050, arguing that such a target does not align with Australia’s national interests. Blyth insists that the party should present a clear alternative to Labor’s policies in the upcoming election.

“If we impoverish ourselves aspiring to a target that is legislated and, quite frankly, is not achievable, and we’re going to impoverish the Australian people to do that. I don’t think that we can be stewards of the environment if we can’t afford it,” Blyth told ABC’s RN.

But members of the party’s moderate faction, such as NSW senators Andrew Bragg and Maria Kovacic, have urged the party to maintain its climate commitments, saying they could quit the shadow cabinet if Australia ditched net zero and left the Paris Agreement.

Adding another perspective to the debate, Victorian senator Jane Hume suggests that achieving net zero is not the only path to simultaneously lowering prices and emissions. Hume emphasizes that there are other strategies that could be equally effective.

“We need to forge our own pathway to a cleaner, reliable energy future that can lower emissions as well,” Hume said.

Liberal insiders have stressed Wednesday’s meeting will not include a vote and will only be a discussion about policy.

Amid these differing viewpoints, the Liberal shadow ministry is set to convene on Thursday. The leadership team aims to finalize its energy strategy, seeking a cohesive approach amidst the internal discussions.

Nationals urge Liberals to ‘jump off’ net zero ship

Senator Matt Canavan, who will be negotiating the final Coalition position on behalf of the Nationals later this week, said the priorities should be voters, not appeasing overseas targets.

“When we signed up to net zero, we were promised that power prices would come down. Instead, they’ve gone massively up. We were promised that we’d get thousands of jobs in hydrogen and critical minerals. Instead, we’ve lost over 7,000 manufacturing jobs offshore just in the last few years alone,” Canavan told Nine’s Today show on Tuesday morning.

“The rest of the world is getting off this train. They’re getting off the net-zero train. I think it’s about time we jump off this sinking ship … before it’s too late.”

— With additional reporting from the Australian Associated Press