First it was migration, now it’s climate change. Division in Coalition ranks is giving Opposition Leader Sussan Ley continual grief. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Opposition frontbenchers and backbenchers alike are increasingly bold in flagging an end to Coalition support for the legislated net zero by 2050 emissions target.
Liberals and Nationals are all but lining up to demand that bipartisan support for the carbon goal be thrown out the window.
Some are going so far as to publicly threaten chaos within Coalition ranks if support for net zero isn’t dropped.
Following a week from hell for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley over Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s divisive comments about migration and Australia’s Indian community, hotheads in the party are now giving the leader more grief over climate change.
Senator Price was sacked from the shadow ministry last week, but this week, Opposition frontbenchers are threatening to quit if they don’t get their way on climate change and energy.
Shadow finance minister Andrew Hastie got the ball rolling this week with a Monday evening radio interview saying he would quit Ms Ley’s frontbench if the Coalition maintains its net zero policy.
Mr Hastie said he would “leave without a job” if the party’s internal review of the policy resulted in the status quo.
“I’ve nailed my colours to the mast,” he said.
“My primary mission in politics is to build a stronger, more secure, more competitive Australia. Energy security is a vital input to that.”
Mr Hastie said the whole Coalition was “whispering” about the policy.
“I went on Four Corners, and I said the net zero policy is a straitjacket for our economy and our country, and I believe that,” he said.
“I’m actually quite passionate about it.”
Those comments led to shadow education minister Jonathon Duniam saying Mr Hastie wouldn’t be alone in quitting Ms Ley’s frontbench.
Senator Duniam said there would be a “mass exodus” if the Coalition adopted a “net zero at any cost” approach.
“The reality is that most members of our frontbench, and indeed most of the members of our party room, are interested in making sure that whatever we do, if it is to retain a net zero by 2050, doesn’t come at whatever the cost might be,” he said.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud suggested the Coalition’s junior party was ready to abandon the net zero target and would likely formalise that in the future.
“I think there are different ways and better ways than an arbitrary target that the world is not living up to,” he said.
“But the way the Labor Party is undertaking is destroying our economy … We need to understand that there are ways around adaptation and we don’t need to go down an all-renewables approach that is destroying the actual environment but is destroying regional Australia.”
Nationals backbencher Matt Canavan said the Coalition under Ms Ley’s leadership would not be a good one if support for net zero is maintained.
“I’m pretty clear and transparent saying … if we continue with net zero, it’ll continue to be a failure,” Senator Canavan told ABC radio.
“I don’t know how you want to define the future. I don’t think it’ll be a good future if we continue to do that.
“That’s my view, and I’ve been very clear about that.”
That’s just the Coalition commentary so far this week.
Nationals backbenchers (and former deputy prime ministers) Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack have been backing a bill to end Coalition support for net zero since parliament resumed in July.
Following the release this week of the National Climate Risk Assessment report, Ms Ley issued a joint statement with her deputy, Ted O’Brien.
“Climate change is a global problem, and it demands global action. Australia cannot make a difference on its own, but we must play our part,” they said.
“The Coalition will always support sensible action to reduce emissions, strengthen resilience, and protect communities.
“Our nation has the capacity and resources to meet the challenge of climate change with the right policies and priorities.
“This is a moment to reassure Australians. What Australians do not need is alarmist language being used to distract from Labor’s failures.”
Frontbencher Dan Tehan is spearheading the Coalition’s review of the policy.
Party insiders are suggesting that while Ms Ley is publicly keeping all options open until the review is complete, she will not be embracing the “net zero at all costs” policy approach.
The Federal Government is due to release its 2035 interim emissions target this week.
