This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise.
Australia’s National Party has formally abandoned its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 in a unanimous party room decision, marking a dramatic reversal from the climate policy it adopted just four years ago. Nationals leader David Littleproud announced the party would shift focus to climate adaptation and proposed pegging Australia’s emissions reduction efforts to the OECD average, targeting 30 to 40 percent cuts by 2035 — roughly half the federal government’s commitment of 62 to 70 percent reductions by the same year.
The decision, backed by a party review citing energy price increases of 40 percent since the original net zero commitment and disproportionate costs borne by lower-income households, drew immediate criticism from the Labor government. Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said the Nationals had “betrayed” regional Australia, arguing renewable energy creates jobs and revenue for rural communities. Environment Minister Murray Watt dismissed the move as handing climate policy to fringe voices within the party, noting the Nationals received less than 4 percent of the national vote in the May election.
The abandonment sets up a critical test for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and the Liberal Party, which has accelerated its own energy policy review in anticipation of the Nationals’ decision. If the Liberals cannot align with their junior Coalition partner, the alliance risks a public split on climate policy heading into future elections. A July poll found half of former Coalition voters who switched parties said they would not consider a party “ready to govern” without a credible climate change policy, adding pressure to the Liberals’ deliberations.
Follow us across all major podcasting platforms and social media channels for updates that matter. Your support keeps independent journalism alive!
For more in-depth coverage on these stories and other news affecting Australia and the world, subscribe to readmencari.com. Support our independent journalism by listening to our podcasts on all major platforms and considering a subscription to help us continue delivering fearless reporting free from financial and political influence.
Got a News Tip?
Contact our editor via Proton Mail encrypted, X Direct Message, LinkedIn, or email. You can securely message him on Signal by using his username, Miko Santos.
The Mencari readers receive journalism free of financial and political influence.
We set our own news agenda, which is always based on facts rather than billionaire ownership or political pressure.
Despite the financial challenges that our industry faces, we have decided to keep our reporting open to the public because we believe that everyone has the right to know the truth about the events that shape their world.
Thanks to the unwavering support of our readers, we’re able to keep the news flowing freely. If you’re able, please join us in supporting Mencari.
Join over 1000 readers. Sign up here.
We’d love it if you could share the email with your friends! Just (copy the URL here.
