Liberal MP Andrew Hastie’s threat to quit the opposition front bench if Sussan Ley pursues net-zero emissions by 2050 has spurred mixed reactions within the Coalition.
Mr Hastie, who serves as opposition home affairs spokesman, made the threat during a radio interview on Monday evening.
“I’ve nailed my colours to the mast,” he told the ABC.
“If I go out with the tide in 2½ years that’s great … I’ll get a lot more time with my kids back.”
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie is threatening to quit the opposition front bench over net zero. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
He said his “primary mission in politics is to build a stronger, more secure, more competitive Australia”.
“Energy security is a vital input into that, so that’s my bottom line,” Mr Hastie said.
“I said that net-zero policy is a straitjacket for our economy and our country, and I believe that.”
Mr Hastie, considered by some to be a future contender for the Liberal leadership, was not criticised by his Coalition colleagues as they did the morning show rounds on Tuesday.
Fellow shadow cabinet colleague Angus Taylor – who lost the Liberal Party leadership to Ms Ley by a hair’s breadth – almost entirely dodged the matter.
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie’s threat to quit the opposition front bench if Sussan Ley pursues net-zero emissions by 2050 has spurred mixed reactions within the Coalition.
Mr Hastie, who serves as opposition home affairs spokesman, made the threat during a radio interview on Monday evening.
“I’ve nailed my colours to the mast,” he told the ABC.
“If I go out with the tide in 2½ years that’s great … I’ll get a lot more time with my kids back.”
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie is threatening to quit the opposition front bench over net zero. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
He said his “primary mission in politics is to build a stronger, more secure, more competitive Australia”.
“Energy security is a vital input into that, so that’s my bottom line,” Mr Hastie said.
“I said that net-zero policy is a straitjacket for our economy and our country, and I believe that.”
Mr Hastie, considered by some to be a future contender for the Liberal leadership, was not criticised by his Coalition colleagues as they did the morning show rounds on Tuesday.
Fellow shadow cabinet colleague Angus Taylor – who lost the Liberal Party leadership to Ms Ley by a hair’s breadth – almost entirely dodged the matter.
“Andrew committed his support to Sussan Ley in that same interview,” he told Nine’s Today.
“But I’ll tell you the problem – (Climate Change Minister) Chris Bowen is driving up the price of electricity.”
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has not committed the Coalition to net-zero by 2050. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman
Meanwhile, Nationals senator Matt Canavan openly welcomed Mr Hastie’s position.
“I welcome them because I’ve been saying for a long time that net zero is not working for Australia or Australians,” he told the ABC.
“I think Andrew, like many Australians, (is) waking up to the fact that the hype around net zero is not matching the reality.”
The Coalition formally committed Australia to net zero in 2021, six years after it signed up to the Paris Agreement limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.
A decade on, Ms Ley is struggling to strike a unified position on climate action and is facing a backbench rebellion headed by Nationals heavyweight Barnaby Joyce.
She has neither committed nor ruled out committing the Coalition to net zero.
Leave a Reply