One of the Liberal party’s two surviving inner-metropolitan MPs has warned voters see the Coalition as unserious on climate change, suggesting the opposition could lose more seats to Labor if it opposes policies for net zero by 2050.
Simon Kennedy, the member for the Sydney seat of Cook, previously held by Scott Morrison, told a closed-door meeting of Liberal and Nationals MPs at Parliament House that the Coalition should be “wedging” Labor on energy policy, not backsliding on efforts to cut carbon emissions.
The previously unreported comments were prompted by former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce’s private member’s bill to overturn net zero, announced last week.
After a series of anti-net zero statements from Joyce and climate sceptic MPs including Barker MP Tony Pasin, Joyce and Nationals senator Matt Canavan, Kennedy was the only Coalition MP to speak up for net zero policies. His intervention prompted calls of support from a range of Coalition MPs across parliament.
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Both the Liberals and the Nationals are reviewing net zero policies after their May election loss. A review of the Coalition’s 2022 federal election defeat noted perceptions of the Morrison government’s response to issues including the climate crisis had seen it lose voters, including to teal independents.
“My personal belief and the community’s belief is that we need to be serious on climate and reducing energy prices,” sources said Kennedy told the meeting.
“There’s a debate on net zero and they [the public] interpret us as not being serious on climate.”
Party room deliberations are traditionally kept confidential.
Kennedy described climate and energy policies as “Labor’s weakest point”, the sources said, predicting the Albanese government would miss its targets for renewables uptake and emissions reductions.
“It’s a false dichotomy that we have to choose between lowering energy prices and lowering emissions,” sources said Kennedy told the meeting.
“We should be wedging them on their own plan, not ourselves.”
Guardian Australia approached Kennedy about his comments. He said the Coalition should be leading a robust debate about “Labor’s mess”, naming the energy and emissions minister, Chris Bowen.
“Bowen’s lie of lower energy prices is wrecking Australia’s economy and we’ve still failed to meet targets,” Kennedy said.
“The politics and policy line up for us. We can set a clear, credible framework that drives investment in the technology already being developed by the private sector.
“The Liberal future should be built on innovation: delivering cheaper, cleaner power and a stronger economy powered by Australian ingenuity, not empty promises.”
South Australian Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan said the Coalition’s comprehensive policy review, being led by the shadow energy minister, Dan Tehan, was warranted.
“It is also important to note that while some members have begun publicly advocating for the abandonment of our net zero by 2050 commitment, that is in no way a fait accompli in our party room,” McLachlan said.
“There are many in favour of continuing our emissions reduction targets, both for environmental and economic reasons.”
One MP present for the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said there were frustrations the policy reviews were being overshadowed by the small but vocal group opposing net zero. They said Kennedy’s comments “solidified support” behind the party process.
“It [the net zero debate] has caused frustration towards that small group and probably lost them some support [internally].”
Another Coalition member, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said MPs should let the policy reviews run their course.
“People should respect the process. The process is important to have their [Coalition members’] opinions be heard and for us to come up with a considered position.”
Labor used its majority on Thursday to allow debate on Joyce’s private member’s bill in the House of Representatives next month. Joyce was the only Coalition MP to vote with the government and members of the crossbench to allow debate.
Former Liberal minister Simon Birmingham told the Australia Grains Industry Conference in Melbourne that Labor and Climate 200 were successfully weaponising Nationals’ positions on climate against the Liberals.
“It is a problem. There’s little point shying away from it,” the newly appointed Australian Banking Industry chief executive said on Thursday.
“If you look at the way things that are said by National party figures or leaders are then deployed in campaigns against Liberal candidates in those urban electorates, it has clearly real cut-through.
“The real debate that the Coalition can and should be having in terms of talking to voters today is about the five- to 10-year horizon: around their power prices, their fertiliser prices – the pressure points that are happening on the journey to net zero.”
