Australian news and politics live: Sussan Ley defends ditching net-zero target, makes plea to young voters

Anthony Albanese has accused Opposition Leader Sussan Ley of “taking Australia backwards” after “capitulating” to the Nationals on net zero.

Ms Ley has claimed that the Liberals’ plan will help drive down energy prices, which she’s accused Labor of worsening through its renewables agenda.

But the Prime Minister claimed on ABC RN Breakfast that external factors, like the wars in “Ukraine and the Middle East” were to blame for the failure to deliver cheaper power.

He added that the Liberals opening the door to extend or possibly build new coal-fired power stations “doesn’t stack up”, adding they “don’t have a plan to reduce prices”.

“They’re fundamentally dismissive of the science of climate change. We’ve seen a capitulation by the Liberal Party to the policy that was announced effectively by the National Party,” Mr Albanese said.

“People like Barnaby Joyce and Matt Canavan have essentially got their way.”

Sussan Ley was pressed about how the Coalition could say it would keep Australia as a signatory to the Paris Agreement if it was going to water down emissions reduction targets.

Under the global agreement struck in 2015 – when Tony Abbott committed Australia to it – countries have to submit nationally determined contributions, or NDCs, every five years stating their targets for cutting emissions.

The intention is for countries to cut emissions enough to limit global warming to 1.5C, or no more than 2C.

Australia has just lodged its pledge to cut emissions by 62-70 per cent by 3025, and the treaty forbids “backsliding” on such commitments.

Ms Ley insisted that it was “possible to update those commitments and to still stay within the agreement”.

“Staying in Paris is about updating those NDCs, about sitting at the table with countries and acknowledging that we do want to play our part,” she told ABC TV.

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has told a conference of Australia’s leading share market investors that he would back Australia as a blue-chip investment bet.

“In a world short on certainty, Australia is a reliable, secure and stable, long position,” Mr Chalmers said in a speech at the Sohn Hearts and Minds investment conference at Sydney’s Opera House.

Dr Chalmers went on to tell the investors that Australia would be a top pick as it has an excellent credit rating, strong economic growth, budget surpluses and low unemployment.

Among the investors gathered were Wilson Asset Management investment boss Geoff Wilson, Barrenjoey founder Matthew Grounds, and former US President Donald Trump adviser turned bitcoin apostle Anthony Scaramucci.

Liberal moderate Jane Hume said her party “certainly haven’t backed away from reducing emissions” despite its decision to dump net zero as a target, along with interim goals.

“They’ve simply said that they are going to deliver affordable, more reliable energy, at the same time taking a responsible approach to delivering our commitments to the Paris Agreement,” she told Sunrise.

“The most important thing now is that we return a Coalition government back onto those government benches, because unless there’s a Coalition government there, your bills will keep rising and emissions will stagnate.”

Senator Hume had argued in favour of keeping the net zero by 2050 target.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has done the rounds on morning TV and radio to reinforce her fresh arguments about energy prices.

“I am very firmly focussed on the future, because when I look at Australians’ electricity bills going up 40 per cent and there’ll be mums and dads watching your program this morning with the heat of summer coming on, wondering if they’ll be able to run the cooler where they need to, when they need to, and what the cost of that will be?” she said.

“This is so important and Labor has not got it right.”

Asked whether effectively adopting a Nationals policy risked the Liberals losing their identity, Ms Ley said that was “all commentary” and “I’m not interested in the commentary”.

Data from NSW regulator IPART shows median household power bills rose by almost 34 per cent between 2019 and late 2023, and have started easing since then.

In WA, which runs on a separate power grid with most elements government-owned, prices went up 8 per cent at the same time.

The Liberal Party’s decision to abandon its committment to net-zero emissions by 2050 has sparked debate about its impact on younger Australians.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has been quizzed about how the move could affect Gen Z and Millennial voters.

“Young Australians have told me that they care about climate, I care about climate too,” Ms Ley said on Friday.

“Where is the climate policy that makes sense? What we’re saying is we will reduce emissons, on average, year on year in line with comparable countries.

“But Australians deserve affordable energy, not power prices that have gone up 40 per cent.

“It’s about what’s right for Gen Z and millenials who, right now, can’t afford to buy a home, can’t pay their power bills and are looking at a government that is set to deliver them a worse standard of living than their parents. That’s just not fair.”

​​Read the full story​​.