‘No will to walk away from net zero’: NSW Liberals defy federal colleagues

3 weeks ago 11

The NSW Liberals have snubbed their federal colleagues and will retain its policy of net zero emissions by 2050, paving the way for a clash with the Nationals after the party’s new leader warned the target was “unlikely to be met”.

Within hours of Nationals MP Gurmesh Singh being elected as the party’s new leader, the opposition split on the floor of state parliament on a vote on emissions reduction when the junior Coalition partner refused to back a motion supporting net zero by 2050.

Despite a win within the party on net zero for Opposition Leader Mark Speakman – who has long expressed his support for the 2050 target – his hold on the top job remains tenuous, with rival Kellie Sloane prepared to take on the Liberal leadership but unwilling to launch a challenge.

NSW National leader Gurmesh Singh and Liberal leader Mark Speakman.

Speakman’s leadership was not discussed at an extended two-hour party room meeting on Tuesday, which was convened to formulate the Liberals’ position on net zero. The NSW Nationals, meanwhile, have agreed “in principle” to follow their federal colleagues’ plan to walk away from Australia’s clean energy commitments.

On Tuesday evening, Liberals and Nationals were on opposing sides of a vote on a government motion on net zero. Nationals MPs voted against the motion that supported the net zero emissions reduction target by 2050, opposed calls to slow down the renewables rollout, and rejected a moratorium on new clean energy projects.

The junior Coalition partner on Tuesday elected Coffs Harbour blueberry farmer Singh as its new leader after the shock resignation of Dugald Saunders, who quit on the eve of the final sitting week of the year.

Gurmesh Singh was elected the new NSW Nationals leader on Tuesday.

Singh was elected unopposed, with Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson his deputy.

In an interview on Tuesday, Singh said the Coalition was “largely aligned” on energy policy. Wording around the “commitment” to net zero by 2050 could be “on the table” as part of negotiations with the Liberals, he said.

“We believe in having renewable electricity generation, but it has to be done without sacrificing regional communities and tearing communities apart,” he said.

The 2050 emissions target was “unlikely to be met”, Singh said, and he urged the government to be “truthful with the people of Australia and NSW”. Metropolitan areas could “take on a lot more” responsibility for the rollout, including wind farms near cities, Singh said.

The Liberals, meanwhile, remain in a holding pattern amid their leadership woes, with some in the party still anticipating a coup before the week’s end.

One senior Liberal, not authorised to speak about party matters, said Speakman had asked for more time after the September Kiama byelection loss to improve the opposition’s performance.

There was also a sense that MPs could be brought back to parliament for the rarely used reserve sitting days next week, which would provide another opportunity for a potential Liberal spill, or would allow more time for factional leaders to urge Speakman to fall on his sword.

That week will only be used if the government fails to pass all its legislation, but it would also give more time for Liberal MPs to decide whether to move on Speakman.

Despite the leadership rumblings, Liberal MPs were united on retaining the net zero commitments, which the former NSW Coalition government legislated in 2016.

One Liberal, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to party room rules, said there was an “overwhelming majority” of MPs in the party room who backed the net zero position.

“There was no will to walk away from it,” the MP said.

Another said the Coalition’s final position on net zero would take a “long time” to hammer out.

The 2050 emissions reduction target would be retained, the MP believed, but there would likely be significant amendments to how the rollout was managed.

“We will need to rewrite the policy and announce it before the election. These discussions won’t take a week,” the MP said.

Several other MPs present in the meeting said clean energy projects outside the five zones dedicated for large-scale renewables was a major concern to some Liberals, and one said it was critical that the rollout was “farmer-friendly”.

Nationals MPs say anger about the rollout has been compounded by a lack of consultation with affected communities, although a Liberal MP said the election of Singh as Nationals leader would help the Coalition land a compromise position on net zero by 2050.

A Nationals MP foreshadowed the party’s negotiations with the Liberals would be likely to hinge on wording around the 2050 target. This could include watering down commitment for a less-stringent term like “goal” or “aspiration”.

“We both want to come out with things we can hang our hats on,” the MP said.

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