Barnaby Joyce delivers first Coalition bill in 48th Parliament, calling for net zero goal to be repealed

West Australian

10 hours ago

Nationals maverick Barnaby Joyce has delivered his net zero repeal bill to Parliament while dispelling suggestions that Sussan Ley's leadership is being undermined.
As the new Opposition leader settled into her second week in at the dispatch box, the Coalition's internal climate wars flared again as Mr Joyce forged ahead with his private members bill.
The one-time Nationals leader told Parliament the emissions target harmed Australian jobs and industries.
'Why are we doing this to ourselves? Whether it's pie shops or hairdressers, it doesn't matter. It's hurting the Australians,' Mr Joyce said when introducing the bill.
He had earlier labelled the policy 'totally, utterly illogical' when flanked by fellow Nationals — including ex-leader Michael McCormack — and a flock of farmers for a press conference on the forecourt of Parliament House.
'Net zero in Australia will have zero effect on the climate,' he said.
'The only thing it's affecting is our nation's capacity to defend itself, our manufacturing's capacity to continue on, and the dignity of the lives of people who can't afford the cost of living.'
It makes the first bill that the Coalition have brought forward in the first few sittings of the 48th Parliament as one to scrap action on climate change.
The push comes despite the fact both the Liberal and National parties are still reviewing their climate policies in the wake of their 2022 election loss.
Asked if he was undermining Coalition leadership and the post-election review, Mr Joyce said he wasn't acting to offend politicians 'on a good wicket' but stick up for pensions struggling to pay their bills.
Among the handful of Nationals out on Monday, Queensland Liberal Groom MP Garth Hamilton spoke alongside Mr Joyce — urging Coalition to have a 'mature' conversation around net zero.
'It's okay for us to discuss the impact on the economy that net zero is having. There's not some moral Rubicon that we're crossing by doing this,' Mr Hamilton said.
Despite the full-court-press backing Mr Joyce on Monday morning, Nationals leader David Littleproud downplayed suggestions the bill undermines his authority.
He said Mr Joyce's move doesn't threaten his leadership and that '19 very independent' Nationals MPs will make up their own minds.
His deputy Kevin Hogan backed the leader and his decision to launch a review 'at the will of the room'.
He also noted Mr Joyce's 'passion' on the issue, saying 'good on him'.
'This is what we're here for. This is Canberra in action. We're not a croquet club,' he told Sky News.
Among those to speak along Mr Joyce on Monday was Yass Valley Council Mayor Jasmin Jones who labelled net zero an 'insane quest of virtue signaling' and expressed her support for Barnaby's 'Top Gun: Maverick' bill.
She said hundreds of turbines in the regions under Labor's renewables push would make responding to bushfires more difficult and jeopardize beef producers' quality through the 'shedding of microfibre'.
Delivering the bill in the House of Representatives on Monday comes after several State branches voted to take an axe to the target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
It includes a motion by WA Liberal party at the weekend, which was carried with an overwhelming show of support. It is expected that Queensland's LNP conference this weekend will also host a similar motion.
Later on Monday, One Nation's Pauline Hanson is expected to bring an urgent motion into the Senate, which some Coalition members are expected to back.
Greens agriculture spokesperson Peter Whish-Wilson described Mr Joyce's push as a 'predictable attack', 'out-of-touch' and 'reckless'.