Moderate Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg has issued a stark warning to his party, declaring that placing a 'fatwa' on the term 'net zero' is 'ridiculous' as the Coalition struggles to formulate a coherent climate and energy policy.
The shadow housing minister has threatened to resign from the frontbench if the opposition abandons the net zero by 2050 target and withdraws from the Paris climate agreement, piling significant pressure on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.
Internal Turmoil and Policy Crisis
The ultimatum from Senator Bragg comes ahead of a series of critical meetings this week designed to settle the Coalition's position on climate change. Liberal MPs are set to reconvene in Canberra on Wednesday to debate the party's energy platform, with the shadow ministry meeting on Thursday to ratify a position.
A joint party room meeting with the Nationals has been scheduled for Sunday, 16 November to endorse a unified stance. However, the junior coalition partner has already decided to abandon the net zero commitment entirely.
Bragg is among a group of moderate Liberals fighting to salvage a commitment to carbon neutrality after senior conservatives turned against the policy. Some are encouraging Ley to jettison not only the Scott Morrison-era 2050 target but any reference to net zero whatsoever.
'Fringe Dwellers' vs 'Energy Abundance'
In a televised interview, Bragg strongly criticised the campaign against the internationally recognised standard. 'You can’t have a fatwa on two words,' the senator stated. 'This is the international standard. Trying to pretend you’re not going to say two words is absolutely ridiculous.'
He emphasised the Liberal Party's role as a party of government, stating, 'We are not a fringe party, we’re not fringe dwellers.' When pressed on whether he would resign if the party dumped net zero and left the Paris agreement, Bragg confirmed he would, though he added, 'I don’t imagine that we’ll ever leave Paris.'
Meanwhile, the opposition’s energy spokesperson, Dan Tehan, signalled a different approach. He voiced support for a strategy of 'energy abundance' to reduce prices, which could involve extending the life of coal-fired power stations and pumping more gas into the market. Tehan did not rule out the use of taxpayer subsidies to support fossil-fuel power generation.
The Stakes for Australia's Climate Commitments
As of October, 145 countries had announced or were considering net zero targets, according to Climate Action Tracker. While there is no serious talk of the Coalition following Donald Trump's lead by withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, remaining in the pact but watering down Australia's existing pledges would constitute a breach, as the agreement forbids countries from backsliding on their targets.
The internal conflict leaves Sussan Ley in a precarious position, facing an internal backlash that will intensify pressure on her leadership regardless of the final policy outcome. The resurgence of speculation about frontbench resignations and a potential Coalition split underscores the deep divisions within the opposition on one of the nation's most pressing policy issues.
