Nationals vote to dump net zero, back nuclear power

The Nationals have voted to abandon support for net zero at the party’s Federal Council meeting in Canberra on Saturday.

While passing of the motion does not bind the party’s Federal MPs to do the same, they are expected to follow suit when they meet on Sunday morning.

The net zero target may be scrapped but there remains support for “flexible policy framework that caters for emissions reductions, while growing and protecting key industries”.

Party faithful had been urging the Nationals to dump a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 and withdraw from a global climate treaty.

Before the vote, Nationals leader David Littleproud told members the resolution was “eminently sensible”.

“We’re not walking away from reducing emissions, but we can do it a better, fairer, cheaper way. We can align ourselves with the world as the world pivots from an arbitrary target to using common sense, making sure that they don’t destroy their economies.

“We can do that, calm and considered, and we work with our Coalition partners.

“And I’ve made it clear with Sussan Ley that while we respect the sovereignty of their room, we’ve asked her to respect the sovereignty of our room. And we’ve come together in a considered way to work together.”

Giving the motion the green light sees the Nationals retain a commitment to nuclear energy and support lifting the nationwide ban on nuclear power introduced in 1998.

Adopting the policy would keep the Nationals “opposed to the current punitive industry and job-destroying taxes of the Albanese Labor government”.

Under the Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, members must increase their emissions targets every five years and cannot water them down.

By stepping away from the agreement, national control would be restored over emissions targets and energy policy by ensuring access to affordable and reliable energy for Australians, the motion reads.

The net-zero target has remained a key sticking point within the coalition as the Liberal Party undertakes an energy policy review following the disastrous May election defeat.

But its own commitment is in doubt following a meeting of Liberal backbenchers at Parliament House on Friday.

Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan said the Liberals were likely to finalise their position six to nine months after the federal election, meaning a decision would likely come between November and January.

Liberal leader Sussan Ley said the coalition’s energy policy would not simply prioritise an emissions target.

“As I have said from the beginning ... we’re not going to accept the government’s net zero at any cost,” she said on Friday.

Speaking from South Korea, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was getting on with the transition to net zero unperturbed by coalition ructions.

“I’ll allow people to watch that circus and to make their own decisions,” he told reporters.