Climate divide talked down as Bridget McKenzie takes aim at inner-city colleagues

Government MPs have played down suggestions of a growing divide within Coalition ranks over setting a target for net zero emissions by 2050.

In an opinion piece in the Australian Financial Review, Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie criticised her Liberal Party colleagues, including Josh Frydenberg and Dave Sharma, for advocating a net zero target.

She said it was easy for members in inner city electorates to back the target, as opposed to those in regional areas, where she argued a move to net zero would impact Australians working in emissions-intensive industries.

But Environment Minister Sussan Ley dismissed the notion, saying any government plan would need to work for all Australians.

“The talk of a city-country divide is always overstated,” she said.

“We’re one country, we have family, we have friends, we have networks, we have travel and as long as we make the policy relevant to everyone, everywhere, and we explain it well and take people with us, that’s the answer.”

The federal government’s current position is to reach net zero as soon as possible, “preferably” by 2050.

But there is growing international pressure for Australia to adopt more aggressive targets, particularly ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November.

It is still not clear who will represent Australia at the event, with the Prime Minister’s Office saying no decision has been made about whether Scott Morrison will attend.

Both US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson have indicated they will be going.

Some Nationals will not be persuaded

Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman, who has been a vocal advocate for setting a net zero target, said his regional colleagues had “every right” to raise concerns about climate change policies.

But he made it clear those concerns should not delay a move toward the target.

“What is the cost of not acting?” he said.

“I would argue firstly that the transition to some degree globally, particularly for our export markets, is one that is now unstoppable.

“So our focus should not be trying to be King Canute to stop the tide, but looking at what you put in place as alternatives to those communities.”

Deputy Nationals Leader David Littleproud told Sky News the government’s focus was on providing all Australians, including those in regional areas, with a plan to deliver greater emissions reductions, before making any commitment to do so.

He did not shy away from the fact that there were opposing views within the party on the matter, particularly from his Queensland colleagues.

“We’ll have an honest conversation about it in our party room but I also recognise there’ll be divergent views,” Mr Littleproud said.

One of those divergent views comes from Queensland senator Matt Canavan, who said his views were “not for sale” and that nothing would convince him to support the net zero target. 

“This is just too great a cost for this country, our country to bear,” he told Sky News.

“What’s it all going to achieve? If China doesn’t act — which I don’t think they will — it won’t change the temperature of the globe, it won’t stop any natural disasters, it will just handicap our industry, and our ability to defend ourselves.”

Not all Nationals share Senator Canavan’s view, with many, including Damian Drum and Mark Coulton, saying they are comfortable with a net zero by 2050 target.

“Quite frankly I’m very invested in this.”

“If they were to say, to go down a certain path you’re going to see electricity prices spike, you’re going to see gas prices spike, then that’d be a red flag for my electorate,” Mr Drum said.

“But I don’t think we’re going to see that and that’s why I’m relatively positive. I don’t really see the need to panic about net zero by 2050.”