Nationals MP Michael McCormack has lauded the Coalition’s “sensible” position on net zero as he accused the Albanese government of “impoverishing our citizens” through their emissions reduction goals.
The Liberals and Nationals confirmed their joint position on climate and energy on Sunday following weeks of internal brawling over the issue.
Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud announced they would prioritise “affordable energy for households and businesses”, while pledging to continue “responsible emissions reduction” despite dumping a commitment to reach net zero by 2050.
While Labor has branded the Coalition’s stance “out of touch”, Mr McCormack insisted the new direction was a positive development which would ultimately benefit households and businesses.
“I think it’s a sensible position. As David Littleproud has said, cheaper, better, fairer, and that’s what we’re taking to the electorate,” he told Sky News Australia.
“We need to have emissions coming down, but we can’t do it at the expense of everyday, ordinary Mr and Ms Average, who are paying forty percent more for their energy costs than they were prior to May 2022.”
Climbing energy costs have increasingly put a strain on household budgets, with expiring government energy subsidies set to increase costs further in the coming months.
Responding to criticism Labor’s renewables push helping drive prices higher, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claimed the increases were actually a product of the former Coalition government’s policies – remarks which drew a rebuke from Mr McCormack.
“That bloke would take credit for the sun coming up and blame the Coalition for its setting in the afternoon,” the Nationals MP said.
Mr McCormack highlighted increased instability in the national grid, noting some rural towns had been “plunged into darkness”, as he argued the cost of pursuing the government’s agenda was too high.
“We’ve got Upper Lachlan Shire (Council) with Crookwell, where they already house 60 per cent of the state’s (New South Wales) green energy projects, and yet they they have the lights getting turned out on them over and over again,” he said.
“On the second state of origin rugby league night this year, the whole town was pitched into into darkness. Couldn’t watch the rugby league, but but never mind that. Their age care centre plunged into darkness, their hospital plunged into darkness, I mean, this is not how Australia should be in 2025.”
The Nationals MP also noted Australia was a world leader in emissions reduction, despite contributing around “1.1 per cent of emissions globally”.
“Australia since indeed 2005, under Coalition governments, we’ve reduced our emissions by 28 per cent and what have OECD countries (done), many of them very, very rich countries, they’ve reduced it by only 14 per cent,” he said.
“We we need to do what’s right for the planet, but, you know, when Australia’s only responsible for 1.1 per cent of emissions globally, then you know, do we do that and deindustrialise Australia? Do we send jobs overseas? Do we absolutely make sure that we cripple households, businesses?
“It’s craziness for Australia to be impoverishing our citizens and to do what? To lower the global temperature in twenty five years’ time? I mean, come on, really.”
Instead, the Nationals MP argued the Coalition had found a “cheaper, better, fairer way” through reforms to the Capacity Investment Scheme, including making it technology neutral, embracing continued use of fossil fuels and lifting the ban on nuclear power – all to boost supply.
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