Australian news and politics live: Sussan Ley says marathon net zero meeting went ‘really well’

Gisele Kapterian — a Liberal candidate who narrowly lost the seat of Bradfield to teal independent Nicolette Boele in May — has warned that if the Liberals dump net zero, it would jeopardise their chance of ever claiming back the blue-ribbon seat.

Ms Kapterian detailed her views in an email sent to senior shadow ministers on Tuesday evening, and published by the AFR, ahead of a Liberal meeting in Canberra at 12pm AEDT aimed at settling debate over net zero.

She warned voters in the traditional Liberal electorate now expected strong climate action.

“In my experience, echoed throughout the most marginal, winnable, metropolitan seats, our party must remain firmly committed to the language of a ‘net zero’ emissions target as part of an energy policy that is differentiated from the ALP. Retreat is an electoral liability,” she wrote.

There has been plenty of posturing going on ahead of the Liberals’ meeting today, which is the first time it’s had a formal party room meeting without the Nationals to discuss the net zero issue.

Shadow minister Andrew Bragg said on the weekend he would quit the frontbench if the party walked away from Australia’s commitment under the Paris agreement, and other moderates have made similar noises.

Frontbencher Melissa McIntosh hoped this didn’t eventuate.

“People that are on the frontbench are there for a reason, because they’re talented and smart, and we need them there,” she told The West.

She’s heard from 1600 constituents through a survey over recent weeks – with a majority of them saying they wanted the party to drop its commitment to get to net zero emissions by 2050 – and will take that perspective into the lunchtime meeting today.

“I’m going to fight as hard as I can fight on this issue because I think it’s worth it, but I’m not going to say if I don’t get my way that’s it,” she said.

As Liberal MPs descended on Canberra for a party room meeting aimed at settling the debate over net zero, at least three South Australian parliamentarians could be late due to a delayed flight.

Two Liberal senators from South Australia, Senator Leah Blyth and Senator Andrew McLachlan, as well as the member for Barker Tony Pasin, were on board a Qantas flight from Adelaide, which had to be turned back 10 minutes into their journey due to technical issues.

Senator Blyth told ABC on Wednesday morning that as the plane started to take off, they started to smell smoke in the cabin. She said white smoke then filled the cabin.

Fire engines met the Qantas operated Alliance plane on the runway when they touched back down.

The energy policy debate has divided the Coalition after the National Party formally scrapped its target earlier this month.

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Liberal MPs and senators will meet in the nation’s capital for crucial talks as they inch closer to a formal policy on climate change and energy.

The party is widely expected to water down its commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, but will still retain some commitment to reducing carbon pollution if it returns to government.

A party room meeting has been called for midday on Wednesday in Canberra, where members will discuss their approach to the issue.

Energy and climate policy has increasingly become a proxy battle for Sussan Ley’s leadership, which some MPs say is under threat from rivals in the party’s conservative flank.

Liberal insiders have stressed Wednesday’s meeting will not include a vote, and will only be a discussion about policy. A meeting of the Liberal shadow ministry will be held on Thursday for the leadership team to finalise its energy plan.

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